Senator Ned Munir Nwoko on Wednesday, February 5, officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) during a Senate plenary session.
Nwoko, who was elected to the Senate in 2023 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, announced his decision in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In the letter, titled “Notice of Departure from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC),” Senator Nwoko attributed his defection to the persistent crises plaguing the PDP. He described the party’s internal divisions and lack of clear leadership as factors undermining its role as an effective opposition.
“The PDP, which once stood as a formidable platform for democratic participation and national development, has unfortunately been engulfed in persistent crises, ranging from internal divisions to a lack of clear leadership and direction,” Nwoko wrote.
The Senator warned that the party’s instability threatens Nigeria’s democracy, cautioning against the risk of the country sliding into a one-party system. “If urgent steps are not taken to address this national emergency, Nigeria risks sliding into a dangerous one-party system, which history has shown to be detrimental to governance and national stability,” he stated.
Nwoko called for the establishment of an Ad-Hoc Committee in the Senate to investigate the PDP’s internal crisis and propose solutions to strengthen Nigeria’s multi-party democracy. He urged the committee to engage stakeholders, identify the root causes of the party’s challenges, and recommend reforms to ensure the survival of a viable opposition.
Despite his defection, Nwoko reassured his constituents in Delta North of his commitment to their service and pledged to continue contributing to national progress. He also requested that his new party affiliation be officially recorded in the Senate’s documentation.
The Senator’s defection represents another significant political realignment within Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.
