Senate President Godswill Akpabio has declared that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was dead following the wave of defections from the party.
He stated this when he read the defection letters of some ADC Senators at the red chamber, on Tuesday.
Akpabio first read the letter of Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, who defected from the ADC to the Labour Party, and asked all those who are leaving the party to send in a joint letter to avoid the Senate from repeating the process, remarks which sparked laughter in parliament.
“Resignation from ADC and declaration for the Labour Party… maybe all those defecting from the ADC should just compile everything in one paper and bring it, so that we don’t keep announcing it and it doesn’t look like a daily ritual.
“I am being asked, how many times can you defect in a month? You have to ask Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
“Senator Adamu Aliero, as an elder statesman, the question is: how many times can you defect in a month?”
Aliero replied, saying “Once!” to which Akpabio interjected, “but some have done so three times. Is it as the spirit directs or the voice of the gods?
“This one is from an elder statesman and one of the landlords of the Senate. “It reads: ‘I write this letter to inform you and my distinguished colleagues of my decision to resign my membership of the ADC.
“But we know you are going there, because the last time you came, we told you to take it easy,” he said as the lawmakers roared into another round of laughter.
Continuing, Akpbaio read: “Accordingly, I have moved to the Labour Party, and my decision is anchored on the pronounced leadership crisis rocking the ADC, occasioned by multiple legal suits within the party.
“But you didn’t even say that you consulted your constituents or gave any other explanation, other than asking us to accept the assurances of your highest regards.”
