Senate adjourns till September 25 as PDP becomes majority party (Details)

The Senate has adjourned plenary till September 25 in protest against the siege to the residences of Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and Senate President Bukola Saraki by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services (DSS).

While reading a point of order, Senator Chukwuka Utazi urged the Senate to demand that the security operatives be withdrawn from Ekweremadu’s house.

He also asked that the Senate should proceed ‎on its annual eight-week recess, which was scheduled to start on Thursday.

The prayers were unanimously granted.

Some of the senators also criticized the APC-led government and security agencies for their alleged clampdown on perceived opponents.

15 APC Senators had earlier cross-carpeted to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The Senators who have defected to PDP are: Dino Melaye, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Barnabas Gemade, Shaaba Lafiaji, Rafiu Ibrahim, Usman Nefada, Isah Misau, Abdullahi Danbaba, Suleiman Hunkuyi, Suleiman Nazif, Lanre Tejuoso, Ubali Shittu, and Soji Akanbi.

Senators Monsurat Sunmonu and Abdulazeez Nyako defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the senate announced.

Here's a list of the 15 at a glance.

The total number of lawmakers in the senate should be 109, however, two senators are dead, and bye-election is yet to be conducted for their replacement.

The name of the late senators are: Malam Ali Wakili and Mustapha Bukar who represented Bauchi South and Katsina North senatorial districts respectively.

With this development, PDP now holds the majority position in the upper chamber with 54 lawmakers, while APC has 49. ADC now have 2 and APGA 2.

Saraki is now the only Senator from Kwara state still officially under the APC.