Abdullahi, Abaribe resign as Senate Majority, Minority leaders

Senate President Ahmad Lawan read their respective resignation letters at the resumption of plenary.

The two principal officers resigned following their defection from the party platforms on which they were elected as senators.

While Abdullahi defected to People Democratic Party (PDP) from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Abaribe dumped PDP for All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Lawan said: “Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe decamped from the PDP to APGA. He also has resigned his position as Minority Leader of this chamber.”

“Also, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, in his resignation letter, said he left APC due to lack of internal democracy in the party.

“Politics is local. I can’t continue to work for the government at the centre while my people are wallowing in abject poverty.

“After failing to get justice in APC, I have moved to the PDP,” Senator Abdullahi said.

The letter of Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), announcing his defection from APC to PDP was also read on the floor of the Senate.