The Senator representing Sokoto South Senatorial District, Ibrahim Abdullahi Danbaba has defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
At Plenary today, Senator Danbaba announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) much to the chagrin of members of his former Party.
Sen. Aduda (PDP – FCT)
Minority Whip, Senator Philip Aduda cites Order 43 to inform the Senate that there is no crisis in the PDP in North West.
Dr. Ahmad Lawan (President of Senate) replies:
If someone says in his place, this is the situation and Senator representing FCT would say no, it doesn’t exist, I think we should ask if it is you that know better or him that represents that Constituency.
Sen Uche Ekwunife (PDP – Anambra Central)
Senator Uche Ekwunife cited Constitutional Order – Section 68(g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to inform Senator Ibrahim Danbaba on the need to immediately relinquish his position base on the provision of the section of the Constitution as read.
Dr. Ahmad Lawan (President of Senate) replies:
I want to advise you that some of these things you have said should not be recorded. My fear is one day, you will stand from that place and say you want to move to this side. All this thing you have said may come back to haunt you.
On the issue of the Constitutional Order, we are at liberty as elected representatives of the people that when our parties are turned into pieces, when there are factions and irredeemable and destructive crisis like PDP has, we are free to take our leave.
And especially Senator Ibrahim Danbaba, to his credit worked so hard to help stabilize @OfficialPDPNig but it is irredeemable and therefore, I rule you out of order completely.
Senator Danbaba was a member of the 8th Senate elected on the platform of the APC in 2015. He was one of 14 Senators who defected to the PDP in July 2018.
He went on to lose the Senatorial Seat to Shehu Tambuwal in the 2019 elections, however Shehu’s tenure was cut short after a three-man Appeal Panel (Justices Ahmad Olanrewaju Belgore, Amina Audi Wambai and Frederick Oziakpono Oho) sacked him, re-instating Sen. Danbaba.
Until his defection, Sen. Danbaba was the Deputy Minority Whip of the Senate following the defection of the former Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Sahabi Ya’u (Zamfara North) from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in June last year.
