Senate Minority leader, Abba Moro, has predicted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) may soon implode due to the gale of defections by politicians into the party.
Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Moro expressed concerns about the wave of defections into the APC, stating that it not only poses a threat to democracy in Nigeria, but also weakens opposition and democratic balance.
Naijaonpoint reports that the comments by Moro followed the defection of two Senators from Rivers State, Barinada Mpigi and Allwell Onyesoh, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC during plenary on Tuesday.
“In view of what has just happened, I want to say my colleagues on this part of the aisle who have moved have exercised their rights to associate as they wish.
“Let me say here, like I have said before, that when you overload a boat midstream, the possible consequence is the load capsizing.
“Mr President, I think that when people move, they should have the courage to move with this conviction and not to give the impression of the imminent collapse of the PDP or the opposition.
“You know, in our tradition, you can’t beat a child and ask him not to cry.
“I find it a little unfortunate that the leader of the Senate is congratulating himself and his party on the dangerous drift of Nigeria’s democracy.
“I want to insist that this is not good for democracy,” he said.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio interjected and asked Moro to “restrict himself “to the business of the day.
Continuing, Moro submitted that the opposition has not collapsed and would continue to defend the nation’s democracy.
“Contrary to the impression, I want to insist that this side of the aisle has not collapsed.
“We will continue to work for the interest of Nigeria on this part of the aisle,” Moro added.
However, the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, in his response, said Moro’s remarks are simply his personal opinion, adding that the Minority Leader breached senate rules.
“What the minority leader just said were his personal opinions.
“He ought to have come under Order 42. All that he said is in violation of our rules,” Jibrin said.
It Is Invalid
The Senate President, in his reaction, agreed with Jibrin that Moro’s submissions did not comply with Senate rules, noting that the defection letters had earlier been read and deferred before being taken again ahead of the day’s main business.
“What Moro did is invalid,” Akpabio said.
However, the senate president added that expressing dissatisfaction should not be suppressed, referencing Moro’s remark that “If you beat a child, you don’t stop him from crying”.
The defections reduced the PDP’s number in the Senate from 26 to 24, while increasing the APC’s seats from 75 to 77.