LAGOS FEBRUARY 6TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Senator  elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, engaged in a heated exchange over the defection of Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North).

In his letter of resignation from the PDP to the APC which was read on the floor of the Senate by President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, Nwoko cited division and crisis in the PDP as the reason for his decamping to the ruling party.

But reacting to his announcement, the Minority Leader, Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), raised a constitutional point of order, arguing that though Nwoko was well within his rights to leave and join any party, his defection was unconstitutional since the PDP was not in crisis.

Challenging the validity of Nwoko’s move, he insisted that the PDP remained intact and that the law only permitted defection if there was a division within a party. He added that Nwoko’s seat should be declared vacant.

In response, Deputy Senate President,  Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), stressed that the Constitution allows any person to defect provided there was a division in the party, adding that everybody in the country knows that there is a division in the PDP.  “You have the (Nyesom) Wike faction and the Governor Bala Mohammed faction,” he said.

But Moro insisted that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party was intact.

At that point, Akpabio asked him who the substantive national secretary of the PDP is, to which he replied: “The PDP is a law-abiding organisation. The Court of Appeal made a pronouncement on the secretaryship of the party, and the party is adhering to that ruling until the Supreme Court decides otherwise.”

Akpabio interjected, pressing Moro on the Supreme Court’s position.

“What does the Supreme Court say?” Akpabio asked.

Moro maintained his stance:

“The Court of Appeal has ruled that Senator Anyanwu is the secretary of the party until the Supreme Court decides otherwise. And as a law-abiding organisation, we abide by the rulings of the court.”

Akpabio retorted: “Do your PDP governors recognise Anyanwu as the Secretary?”

Mocking him, he said, “Minority leader, we have a motion to set up an ad-hoc committee to look into your party’s affairs but I don’t want to do that.”

However, Moro pushed back, saying there was a difference between the status of the party and individual opinions of the PDP.

“The party is an organisation, and the governors, as a forum, are entitled to their opinions,” he explained. “But as a party, we recognise the pronouncements of the court and abide by them.”

Adding his voice to the debate, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) reinforced the argument, citing constitutional provisions, “I am rising on a constitutional point of order. My point of order is rooted in Section 232 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended. In fact, relevant to my submission is the entire Chapter 7 of the Constitution, which deals with the judicial arm of government.

“While I want to thank the Minority Leader for the grandstanding he has done today, which is expected of him, I want him to know that the PDP faction that he is part of has already taken note of his action here, and I congratulate him on that.”

He emphasised that the issue of party division was a constitutional matter not one to be debated on the Senate floor.

“The Minority Leader himself defeated his argument by reading the proviso to Section 68(1)(g).

“Whether or not there is division in the PDP is a matter of fact that cannot be decided here. It is visible, even to the blind, that there are sharp divisions in the PDP today. Wike is leading one faction, and Bala Mohammed is leading another.”

Bamidele urged Akpabio to end the debate, framing the PDP’s objections as a distraction.

“Mr. President, I appeal to you to save the precious time of the Senate by bringing this discussion to a close. This is an attempt to distract us and take away from the credit of the APC, which has gained a major member today. It is also an attempt to fetter the discretion of other PDP members who may be considering joining the APC.

“It is the constitutional right of every senator to defect as long as the constitutional provisions are met. If anyone is in doubt, the courts are there to adjudicate. We cannot take over the job of the courts.”

As the exchange grew more intense, Akpabio intervened to restore order. Moro, however, continued his argument, questioning why no APC senators were defecting despite the ruling party’s internal disputes.

“If we say PDP is divided, then is APC not in court over its internal crisis?” Moro asked. “Does that mean APC is divided too?”

Ultimately, Akpabio dismissed the PDP’s objections, ruling that the Senate could not assume the role of a court in determining party divisions. He upheld Nwoko’s defection and overruled Moro’s point of order.

Meanwhile, Senator Nwoko has raised concerns over the future of Nigeria’s democracy, warning that the country is at risk of becoming a one-party state due to the internal crisis plaguing the opposition PDP.

In a letter addressed to the Senate President to formally announce his defection from the PDP to the APC, Nwoko expressed worry that the PDP’s inability to function effectively as an opposition party threatens the fabric of Nigeria’s democracy, emphasising that a strong opposition is crucial for accountability and governance.

“Democracy thrives on a strong and credible opposition that keeps the government in check, promotes accountability, and ensures that the voice of all Nigerians is heard,” he said. “If urgent steps are not taken, Nigeria risks sliding into a dangerous one-party system, which history has shown to be detrimental to governance and national stability.”

To address this, Nwoko urged the Senate to take immediate action by setting up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the crisis within the PDP and recommend solutions to safeguard the country’s multi-party democracy.

His defection is the latest in a series of high-profile exits from the PDP, further weakening the opposition as the APC consolidates its dominance in the political landscape.

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