The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), on Tuesday, registered its presence in the Senate as three Senators belonging to the All Progressives Congress (APC) resigned their membership of the ruling party.
The lawmakers are Senators Ahmad Babba Kaita (Katsina North); Lawal Yahaya Gumau (Bauchi South), and Francis Alimikhena (Edo North).
Whilst Babba Kaita and Alimikhena defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gumau, on the other hand, defected to the NNPP.
The notices of their resignation and defection were contained in three separate letters read during plenary by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.
Babba Kaita’s letter reads, “As Senator representing Katsina North Senatorial District, I write to formally notify you of my resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), and registration declaration for the Peoples Democratic Party.
“My resignation from the APC was born out of the marginalisation of critical stakeholders by the State Government and leadership of the party in Katsina State, where small people like me do not have a chance.
“I have since been joyful and graciously accepted into the fold of the Peoples Democratic Party in Katsina State.”
On his part, Senator Alimikhena explained that his decision to resign from the APC was as a result of “continuing and multifaceted crisis that has bedeviled the APC”, especially in his senatorial district, “that has created parallel executives that has undermined internal discipline, cohesion and focus.”
The defection by the three lawmakers has reduced the numerical strength of APC Senators from 70 to 67 in the red chamber.
