22 APC Senators Set to Defect to PDP? Kogi Ruling Party Lawmaker Opens Up

• A report has claimed that 22 senators from the ruling APC are planning on defecting to the opposition PDP
• An APC lawmaker, Sunday Karimi, however, rubbished the claim, stating there is no truth in it
• The Kogi West senator disclosed that the rumour of APC senators decamping to PDP didn't start this weekend

FCT, Abuja - The senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Sunday Karimi, has reacted to reports that 22 senators from the All Progressives Congress (APC) are planning to decamp to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Karimi described the report as fake news, adding that no APC senator plans to defect to the PDP, The Nation reported.

He said:

“It is a lie for anybody to claim that 22 APC senators are planning to decamp to the PDP.

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“Where are they decamping to? What would be the basis for their decamping? Nothing has been done yet. Why should 22 APC senators allegedly wait for Senate Standing Committees before decamping? There is nothing like that.”

Defection rumour started before inauguration of 10th Senate

The APC lawmaker said the defection rumour was there even before the 10th Senate was inaugurated, and the report lacked any truth.

Karimi, who stated this while addressing journalists over the phone, added that Senate President Godswill Akpabio has been on track and is well-versed in the rules of the Red Chamber.

He said:

“Even before our inauguration, the rumour had been there. The Senate President understands the rules of the Senate.

“The Selection Committee is not there yet. It is not out of place for people to lobby, and that is what is going on now.

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“The process of who will be chairmen and members of standing committees would be done by the Selection Committee that has not been put in place yet.

“The Senate leadership (principal officers) must be put in place before that is done. The Senate leadership will do it in agreement with party secretariats of the various political parties that constitute the Senate.

“So, where are they decamping to? A party that is dead? Which faction are they decamping to? Is it that of Nyesom Wike or the Chairman of the party that has been sacked, or that of Abubakar Atiku? Or, would they want to plunge into a river that they know they cannot swim out of alive?

“Before we went for recess, a Welfare Committee for allocation of offices and seats was put in place. The committee chairs and membership would never been done alone.”

“We only have the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President in place and they cannot do it alone.

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“As far as the leadership of the Senate is concerned, the minority parties will send in their lists for approval. The SP cannot do it alone. There is nothing like that.”

Defection rumour is sponsored by some lawmakers

Another APC senator, who spoke in confidence, said the defection rumour is sponsored by lawmakers who think they might not get the committee chairmanship/principal officers position

He said:

“This story is mere speculation planted to lobby for juicy committees.

“Some senators that see themselves losing out in choice committee chairmanship/principal officers during the selection process are behind the story.”

Trouble for Akpabio as 22 APC Senators reportedly set to defect to PDP

In a similar story, Legit.ng had reported that a report by Daily Sun states that there are moves to create a major upset in the Senate, with 22 All Progressives Congress (APC) senators plotting to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

If this move is actualised, the PDP, the major opposition party, will become the majority in the Red Chamber.

Source: Legit.ng