Following a high-level meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday, the senators—Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yahaya Abubakar Abdullahi (Kebbi North), and Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South)—are expected to formally declare their defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress, or APC, on Tuesday, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
The lawmakers were escorted to the meeting by APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, and are reportedly planning to defect along with a large number of supporters, including current and former PDP executives from each of the state’s three senatorial districts.
The move has rattled the state chapter of the PDP.
Our reporter gathered that on Friday night that the PDP State Chairman, Usman Bello-Suru summoned an emergency meeting of party stakeholders in a bid to halt the looming political exodus.
A source at the meeting disclosed that members weighed multiple strategies, including the possibility of obtaining a court injunction or making personal appeals to the lawmakers.
However, the consensus was to engage the senators directly and urge them to stay and strengthen the party at a critical time.
“Several options were explored, including legal steps, but it was agreed that the best approach would be to convince them to remain in the PDP and continue building what they’ve helped to establish over the years,” the source said.
However, efforts to reach the senators have proven difficult.
READ ALSO: Political Earthquake in Kebbi: PDP Senators Plot Mass Defection to APC- Ganduje Drops Bombshell
“Since the defection news broke, they have stopped picking up calls from the party chairman,” the source added.
This crisis comes just weeks after the same PDP chairman, Usman Bello-Suru, issued a public statement dismissing rumours of defection within the party.
He said then, “In a swift reaction to the insinuations that some members of the PDP in the state are making arrangements to defect to the ruling party, I assure our members that PDP remains one indivisible entity that will continue to play an opposition role in the state.”
The unfolding events appear to contradict that reassurance, especially with a high-profile figure like Senator Aliero, a former two-term governor of Kebbi, ex-Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and sitting senator, at the centre of the planned defection.
Aliero is no stranger to political cross-carpeting, having previously left and rejoined the PDP.
Some party members, however, remain stoic in the face of the crisis.
“If they decide to leave, life goes on,” a senior PDP chieftain told The Intercept.
“PDP is like a military barracks, soldiers come, soldiers go, but the barracks remains,” he said.
Should the defections go ahead as expected, the APC’s numerical strength in the 10th Senate will rise to 68, while the PDP will be reduced to 30.
