By Olugbenga Salami
Senator Banigo Ipalibo elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to represent Rivers West Senatorial District on Tuesday defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, a development that has reduced the number of the major opposition party in the upper legislative chamber.
The defection, as read in a letter by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio during plenary reduced number of Senators on the platform of PDP in the Senate from 18 to 17 which is far lesser than 36 Senators it had from inception of the 10th Senate in June 2023.
Even among the 17 Senators remaining on the platform of PDP in the Senate, not less than six of them may defect to APC or the African Democratic Congress, ADC during the week .
Indication to this effect emerged from disclosure made by Akpabio before reading Ipalibo’s letter that other ones on defection have been forwarded to him by affected Senators.
According to Akpabio, many of such letters have already been forwarded to him for announcements but needed to be stood down in honour of late Senator Mpigi Barinada (Rivers South East) whose death made Senate to suspend plenary Tuesday to Wednesday this week.
Ipalibo in her letter of defection, said her move arose from the need to get a stable and progressive platform like APC to advance legislative and developmental agenda of her constituency and that of the nation at large since PDP has been swallowed by prevailing internal divisions and protracted leadership disputes since last year.
She added that the need to join her political mentor, Barrister Nyesom Wike and the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara in supporting President Bola Tinubu to actualize his re – election bid and continue his evident economic reforms , also made her to defect.
“I am convinced that the All Progressives Congress (APC) offers a more stable and progressive platform to advance the legislative and developmental agenda of my constituency and the nation at large.
“This decision is also predicated on my resolve to join my political mentor, the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and the Executive Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Siminalayi Joseph Fubara, in supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in actualizing his re-election bid and also to enable the President to continue his evident economic reforms, which have significantly improved the economic situation, enhanced currency stability, and driven numerous infrastructural developments across the country.
” I sincerely appreciate the President’s fatherly role in fostering political stability and strengthening governance in Rivers State, particularly through his peace – building and reconciliation efforts,” she stated.
Speaking to journalists on her defection after plenary, Ipalibo explained further that infrastructural projects being carried out in Rivers State by President Tinubu, facilitated her joining the APC for more of the development-driven projects .
,She said: “We have had a lot of infrastructural projects completed. For instance, in my state there was one major legacy project that had been in pipeline for decades, I’ll put it, and it never seemed to have been completed.
“But in his tenure now, he has taken the bull by the horn and we have now got the Bonny Road which was open since Christmas time.
“And I can tell you I drove down that road when I went to flag off the Bonny road on Dec. 20 and it’s just wonderful and the Bonny people are so happy about it.
“It has made trade much easier. It has made transportation much simpler. The fear of sea pirates is no longer there and it has made communication a lot better. So this is just one of many other projects.”
The configuration of Senators on the platform of political parties now as against what it was in June 2023 when the 10th National Assembly started are APC 81 from 59, PDP 17 from 36 , Labour Party zero from 8, NNPP 1 from 2, SDP zero from 2 and APGA 1.
The African Democratic Congress, ADC which had no Senator at the beginning of the 10th National Assembly in June 2023, now has 5 while the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC has one jn person of Senator Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West).
Total number of serving senators now are 106 as against the constitutional 109 . The remaining three seats are those of Nasarawa North which became vacant as result of death of Senator Godiya Akwashiki , Enugu North which also became vacant due to death of Senator Okechukwu Ezea and Rivers South East which became vacant due to demise of Senator Barinada Mpigi .
Juliet Ezeh is the founder and chief reporter at Westbridge Reporters with over 7 years of experience in journalism. She covers crime, industry, policy, and social developments, delivering timely and accurate reporting.