- Senator Tony Nwoye (Anambra North) has been appointed as the new Senate Minority Whip. He takes over from Senator Osita Ngwu, who vacated the position after resigning from the PDP to join the ruling APC.
- Alongside Ngwu, Senators Aliyu Wadada (SDP) and Anthony Siyako Yaro (PDP) also formally defected to the APC today, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
- These high-profile crossovers have boosted the All Progressives Congress (APC) to 91 seats in the 109-member Senate, significantly reducing the opposition’s presence to just 18 members.
The Senate minority caucus has undergone a swift leadership reorganization following a fresh wave of defections that has fundamentally altered the balance of power in the Red Chamber.
Eko Hot Blog reports that during Wednesday’s plenary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio read a letter from Senator Osita Ngwu (Enugu West) officially resigning from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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Ngwu, the outgoing Minority Whip, cited the need to align with the governance of Enugu State and President Bola Tinubu’s administration as his primary motivation for joining the APC.
Following the vacancy, the minority caucus unanimously selected Senator Tony Nwoye as the new Minority Whip.
Nwoye, who was elected under the Labour Party in 2023 before moving to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in late 2025, now takes on a pivotal role in leading the remaining opposition bloc.
The defection wave extended beyond the leadership. Senator Aliyu Wadada (Nasarawa West), the Chairman of the Senate Public Accounts Committee, moved from the SDP to the APC.
Wadada is widely considered the APC’s consensus candidate for the 2027 Nasarawa governorship. Similarly, Senator Anthony Siyako Yaro (Gombe South) dumped the PDP, blaming the party’s persistent internal crises for his exit.
With the APC now holding a commanding 91-seat majority, the opposition faces increasing challenges in legislative oversight.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole welcomed the new members, stating that their move reflects “growing confidence” in the current administration.
