Merger Throws PDP Into Minority At National Assembly
As 5 governors of the New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) defect to the All Progressive Party (APC), the leadership structure in both chambers of the National Assembly is set for a shake-up that will see the minority switching places with the majority.
As it currently stands, the APC members in the House of Representatives are 137(one hundred and thirty seven) in addition to the 57 (fifty seven )members who declared for the nPDP and would join their governors to defect to the APC. This means that 194 (one hundred and ninety four) members now belong to APC, pitching the PDP, now 166 in number, in the minority.
With this development, the leadership of the House of Representatives may have to change since the opposition has now swelled with the defection to displace the majority of the House. It is pertinent to note that some lawmakers, especially those loyal to the governors of Niger and Jigawa States, 6 from Niger and 11from Jigawa States, may not join the APC since their chief executives have signified their intention to remain in the PDP.
In a phone chat with LEADERSHIP last night on how the change affects the colouration of the House, the deputy minority leader of the House Of Representatives, Hon Samson Osagie (APC, Edo) said it may be too early in the day to celebrate as the merger process has not been consummated but hailed the defection as “a good development for the polity”.
In the Senate, the PDP has 48 senators, nPDP 26 and APC 29. Labour Party has 4 while APGA has 1. But with the current development, 21 out of the 26 have now joined the APC with their governors, increasing the number of the APC to 50 minus five from Niger and Jigawa States.
The threat on the leadership in the Senate also applies here since the majority PDP has now been relegated to a minority status.
As it currently stands, the APC members in the House of Representatives are 137(one hundred and thirty seven) in addition to the 57 (fifty seven )members who declared for the nPDP and would join their governors to defect to the APC. This means that 194 (one hundred and ninety four) members now belong to APC, pitching the PDP, now 166 in number, in the minority.
With this development, the leadership of the House of Representatives may have to change since the opposition has now swelled with the defection to displace the majority of the House. It is pertinent to note that some lawmakers, especially those loyal to the governors of Niger and Jigawa States, 6 from Niger and 11from Jigawa States, may not join the APC since their chief executives have signified their intention to remain in the PDP.
In a phone chat with LEADERSHIP last night on how the change affects the colouration of the House, the deputy minority leader of the House Of Representatives, Hon Samson Osagie (APC, Edo) said it may be too early in the day to celebrate as the merger process has not been consummated but hailed the defection as “a good development for the polity”.
In the Senate, the PDP has 48 senators, nPDP 26 and APC 29. Labour Party has 4 while APGA has 1. But with the current development, 21 out of the 26 have now joined the APC with their governors, increasing the number of the APC to 50 minus five from Niger and Jigawa States.
The threat on the leadership in the Senate also applies here since the majority PDP has now been relegated to a minority status.
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