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Photo: Courtesy TNG

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has become the minority party in the Nigerian Senate, following the defection of its legislators today, Tuesday, 24/7/2018 to the opposition political parties.
Similarly, 36 members of the ruling party APC, in the House of Representatives have also jettisoned the party and crossed carpeted to the Peoples Democratic Party

Among the APC senators that defected to the PDP are senator representing Kano central, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and senator representing Kogi west, Dino Melaye. Other senators are Abdullahi Danbaba, Sokoto, Isa Misau, Bauchi; Suleiman Nazif; Baki Shittu, Jigawa; Monsurat Sunmmonu, Oyo; Bayero Nafada, Gombe, Olanrewaju Tejuoso, Ogun and Senator Nyako.
Of this number defecting House of Reps members, 32 joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while four joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC). One later announced he was also leaving the APC but did not state his new party.
Announcing their defection on Tuesday during plenary, the first 36 lawmakers cited division at all levels of the APC as the reason for their defection.
Prominent among the defectors are Sani Rano, Barry Mpigi, Ali Madaki, Dickson Tackighir, Hassan Saleh, Danburam Nuhu, Mark Gbilah, Razak Atunwa, Ahmed Bichi, Abdulsamad Dasuki and Zakari Mohammed.
Neither the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, nor his deputy, Yusuff Lasun, was named among the defectors.
Few minutes after the 36 announced their defection, the chairman of the House of Representatives Rules and Business, Orker Jev, announced he was also resigning from the APC.
• Source: Vanguard and TNG,