Opposition senators now down to only five — Akpabio

Senate President Godswill Akpabio says the strength of opposition parties in the upper legislative chamber has dwindled significantly, dropping from nearly 50 senators to just four or five.

Akpabio made the claim on Thursday while addressing attendees at the All Progressives Congress (APC) national caucus meeting in Abuja. He disclosed that several of the remaining minority senators had privately indicated their willingness to defect to the ruling party.

While appealing to APC leaders, the senate president urged them to accommodate defectors fairly and avoid marginalisation within the party.

“Let me appeal to all our leaders that all the political stakeholders coming in from other political parties must be given equal opportunities to thrive. There must not be any discrimination. Do your best not to leave anybody behind,” he said.

“When we came in, the opposition had almost 50 members but today, when I counted, there were about 5 or 4 left in the opposition. Even those five members have whispered to me that I should take them to the President as they are prepared to join the APC.”

Despite the shrinking opposition, Akpabio said he was not in favour of a senate dominated entirely by one party. He revealed that some senators who have defected to the APC at the state level but are yet to formally declare their new affiliation on the senate floor were allowed to remain within the minority caucus to prevent an empty opposition bench.

The senate president also commended President Bola Tinubu for facilitating the release of more than 100 children recently abducted in Niger state. He expressed hope that those still in captivity would soon regain their freedom.

“We thank the President for the release of over 100 children who were kidnapped very recently, and we pray to God to give him the ability and the enablement to release the remaining children to rejoin their families,” he said.

Akpabio further extended condolences to families who lost loved ones, including security personnel killed while carrying out their duties, and prayed for the repose of their souls.