"If a Senator Defects, He Loses His Seat" — Akpabio’s Old Post Resurfaces Amid Defections In The Senate

 

A previously recorded video of Senate President Godswill Akpabio strongly opposing political defections has reemerged online, stirring controversy amid a surge of defections within the Nigerian Senate.

The clip, widely circulated on social media, captures Akpabio in 2016, during his time as a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), voicing a firm stance against lawmakers switching parties. At the time, he condemned the defection of Senator Yele Omogunwa, who moved from the PDP to the then-ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), urging that such a move should result in the forfeiture of the senator's seat.

“As lawmakers, Senators must not encourage political rascality,” Akpabio had declared in a Facebook post dated November 2016. “The constitution is clear on this: if a Senator defects to another political party, he loses his seat.”

Nearly a decade later, Akpabio finds himself at the heart of a political storm—this time as Senate President under the APC. Critics are accusing him of applying a different standard to recent defectors, many of whom are migrating from the PDP into the APC’s growing ranks. His past statements are now being used as a benchmark to challenge his current silence on the matter.

Recent events have only heightened the scrutiny. On May 9, 2025, three PDP senators from Kebbi State—Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), and Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South)—publicly announced their defection to the APC after a private meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa. Earlier, in February, Senator Ned Nwoko of Delta North also made a similar switch to the ruling party.

Despite these developments, there has been no official action or declaration from Akpabio suggesting that these senators should relinquish their seats—contrary to his earlier position. This apparent inconsistency has prompted allegations of political bias and hypocrisy, especially from within the PDP.

The opposition party has not remained silent. In a symbolic gesture reminiscent of Akpabio’s own protest in 2016, PDP senators staged a dramatic walkout during a recent plenary session. Their message was unambiguous: uphold the constitution or risk undermining Nigeria’s democratic integrity.

Speaking on behalf of the protesting lawmakers, Senator Abba Moro of Benue South criticized the Senate President for abandoning principles he once championed. “We cannot stand by and watch as the sanctity of our democratic institutions is eroded by political expediency,” Moro said. “If the Senate President once believed in protecting party mandates, he must now prove it by his actions.”

The viral Facebook post from Akpabio’s past has fueled national debate over the politicization of constitutional provisions. On social media and talk shows, many Nigerians are voicing their disapproval, accusing Akpabio of sacrificing legal consistency for political convenience.

What was once a clear constitutional argument now appears entangled in partisan interests. As the defections continue and the opposition demands accountability, all eyes remain on the Senate President—once a vocal guardian of party discipline—now facing calls to live up to his own standard.