By Obinna Uballa
The Nigerian Senate on Thursday warned that Enyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia South, could lose his seat if he does not reconsider his resignation from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Abaribe, a prominent opposition voice in the chamber, announced his resignation from APGA in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary. In the letter, he cited an irreconcilable leadership crisis within his former party as the reason for his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a platform adopted by several opposition leaders ahead of the 2027 elections.
However, some senators, including Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, challenged the defection. Jibrin argued that there was no division within APGA’s leadership, noting that Section 68(1)(g) of the Nigerian Constitution requires a member of the National Assembly who leaves the party that sponsored their election to vacate their seat – unless there is a division within the party. He also cited Order 20(j) of the Senate Standing Orders, which empowers the Senate President to interpret rules and take final decisions.
Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, added that party leaders should resolve internal disputes rather than abandoning their parties during crises.
Bamidele also noted that Abaribe might have violated Section 65 of the Constitution, which mandates that National Assembly members belong to a political party. He urged the Senate President to allow Abaribe to withdraw his resignation so the leadership could deliberate; otherwise, the chamber should act according to the Constitution.
In response, Abaribe maintained that he resigned because he had already been expelled from APGA in September 2025, insisting that he was no longer a member of the party. Following the exchange, Akpabio directed Abaribe to submit a copy of his expulsion letter within one week for the Senate’s consideration.
Jibrin and Bamidele, however, pressed for an immediate ruling in line with constitutional provisions, urging that the seat be declared vacant. Akpabio ruled that the senator would be given time to reconsider withdrawing his resignation before the Senate takes a constitutional position. “We’ll give you until our next sitting to reconsider, or the chamber will take a position,” he said.
It remains unclear whether Abaribe had formally registered with ADC prior to submitting his resignation.
Abaribe, first elected to the Senate in 2007, has been re-elected multiple times, making him one of the chamber’s most experienced lawmakers. Before joining the Senate, he served as deputy governor of Abia State from 1999 to 2003 under Orji Kalu, now also a senator, but his tenure ended following a political dispute that led to his impeachment.
Over the years, Abaribe has built a reputation as a vocal opposition politician, frequently addressing governance issues, democracy, and the rights of the South-east region. He came into national prominence in 2017 when he stood as surety for the Indigenous People of Biafra leader Nnamdi Kanu during a treason trial, later withdrawing when Kanu disappeared from Nigeria.
