The Senate witnessed a dramatic exchange on Wednesday as Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Minority Leader Abba Moro clashed over the recent defection of Senator Kelvin Chukwu from the Labour Party (LP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Chukwu, representing Enugu East Senatorial District, cited the ongoing crisis within the Labour Party as the reason for his switch during a plenary session. His departure has increased the APC’s strength in the Senate to 73 members, giving the ruling party a two-thirds majority.
In response, Akpabio mocked the opposition, suggesting that their disarray signaled a lack of organization. He stated, “I want a strong and vibrant opposition in Nigeria. But where they are not able to organise themselves… the right thing for them to do is to join me so that we can together move this country forward.”
Akpabio congratulated the APC for gaining a strong senatorial district in Enugu and encouraged the opposition to get their “house in order.” He remarked on the precarious state of other parties, saying, “The PDP is on the ground. The umbrella is torn. Labour Party is in tatters.”
Moro, however, defended the opposition’s resilience, asserting that despite the defections, they would continue to hold their ground. He acknowledged Chukwu’s move but questioned the consultations that led to it, emphasizing that the opposition remains determined.
With Chukwu’s defection, the Labour Party’s representation in the Senate has been reduced to just four members, leaving Okey Ezea as the only LP senator from Enugu State. The situation marks another setback for the opposition, following earlier defections of four senators from the PDP to the APC due to internal disputes.
