'We still have the majority' -- senate leader releases list of 52 APC senators

‘We still have the majority’ — senate leader releases list of 52 APC senators

July 24

22:54 2018

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Ahmad Lawan, majority leader of the senate, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) is still the majority in the upper legislative chamber.

He said this in reaction to the defection of 15 senators on Tuesday.

Senate President Bukola Saraki had read out a list of lawmakers who defected from the APC to other parties.

Among them were senators Rabiu Kwankwaso and Dino Melaye.

Speaking with journalists, Lawan said APC has 52 lawmakers while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has 50.

“It is with heavy heart that we have to watch our brothers and sisters in the APC caucus take the action they did. And we still are optimistic and confident that we will work with our leaders of the APC to bring back our colleagues who had gone,” he said.

“The essence of this press briefing is to let you know that even though some of our colleagues have left, the APC remains the majority party in the senate in terms of numbers. Out of the 109 senators, APC has 52, the PDP has 50, ADC has three and APGA has two. You will recall that we lost two of our colleagues. So we have two vacant seats and the total gives you 109.

“I want to assure you that by the grace of God, INEC will conduct the by-elections, the APC will win because these are our safest seats. In addition, we are still expecting some of our colleagues in the original PDP who have expressed willingness to join the APC.

“For our colleagues that have left, we are still optimistic that many of them or all of them will have a change of heart. APC remains the majority party in the senate. I will not be speaking for the House of Reps but I want to tell you too that APC remains 0the majority party too in the house of representatives.

“In fact one of the PDP senators was dismissed and expelled from the party. They could even be less than 50.”

The 52 names Lawan listed are;