Mohamed Garba
In a shift of allegiance, all three People’s Democratic Party (PDP) senators from Kebbi State formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Their letters of defection were read separately on the floor of the Senate by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who presided over the plenary. The move bolsters the APC’s senatorial strength to 68 seats, while the PDP’s representation dips to 30.
Senators Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), and Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South) individually submitted letters of defection during Tuesday’s plenary, a development confirmed by the News Agency of Nigeria. Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau read each letter to the chamber, after which the senators officially joined the APC.
According to reports, the defections were unanimously accepted by the APC leadership present, including APC National Chairman Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who had earlier announced the senators’ intention to switch parties following meetings in Abuja.
The trio cited the PDP’s internal crises and their confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” as key motivators for their move.
Reports say that with these defections, the APC’s count in the 10th Senate rises to 68, consolidating its legislative dominance, while the PDP falls to 30 senators.
Other smaller parties hold the remaining seats: the Labour Party with five, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) with two, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) with one, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) with one.
The loss of three senators from a single state is a significant blow to the PDP’s national strategy, particularly in a northwestern stronghold that has seen increasing APC influence since 2023.
Analysts note that Senator Adamu Aliero, a former governor of Kebbi State, had defected from the APC to the PDP in June 2022 under contentious circumstances before winning the PDP senatorial primary.
His return to the APC fold, alongside his colleagues, marks a reversal of that political gamble.
Moreover, Senators Abdullahi and Maidoki also highlighted a crisis of confidence in the PDP’s state leadership and disillusionment with what they described as “intra-party conflicts” that hampered effective representation. Their defection follows President Tinubu’s meeting with the trio at the Presidential Villa, an encounter that reportedly sealed their decision.
The APC has hailed the defections as a testament to the popularity of its leadership and policy direction, with Ganduje calling it “a boost to national unity and legislative efficiency.”
Conversely, the PDP’s national spokesperson expressed “regret” over the departures and vowed to “rebuild” the party’s grassroots structures in Kebbi State ahead of future polls.
Political commentators suggest that the defections could trigger further realignments in other opposition strongholds, as lawmakers gauge the APC’s rising tide ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The PDP now faces intensified pressure to stem the outflow of key legislators and to reconcile internal factions in order to remain electorally competitive.
With the APC’s strengthened majority, the Senate is poised to expedite President Tinubu’s legislative agenda, although ensuring cohesion among a larger caucus may present its own challenges.
