The Senate chamber witnessed a moment of political drama on Wednesday as Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Minority Leader Abba Moro engaged in a heated exchange following the defection of Senator Kelvin Chukwu from the Labour Party (LP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Chukwu, who represents Enugu East Senatorial District, announced his defection during plenary, citing the prolonged leadership crisis within the Labour Party as his reason for leaving.

His exit boosts the APC’s numerical strength in the 10th Senate to 73 senators, securing the ruling party a two-thirds majority and further consolidating its dominance in the upper chamber.

Reacting to the development, Akpabio took a swipe at the opposition, saying the spate of defections reflected growing disunity among minority parties.

“I want a strong and vibrant opposition in Nigeria. But where they are not able to organise themselves and all the political parties are in tatters, then the right thing for them to do is to join me so that we can together move this country forward,” Akpabio said.

“We are not going to have a one-party system. That’s why INEC is registering more parties. Please, put your house in order. I have been looking at the way you are getting depleted daily, and I am in total sympathy with what is going on.

“The PDP is on the ground. The umbrella is torn. Labour Party is in tatters. Accord Party is no more. The ADC even crashed before it took off.”

The Senate President went on to congratulate APC senators for “gaining a strong senatorial district in Enugu,” before mockingly inviting the Minority Leader to respond.

Moro, visibly displeased, countered Akpabio’s remarks, maintaining that the opposition remained resilient despite recent defections.

“With due respect, you are the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and I respect you, sir,” Moro began.

“Without prejudice to some achievements that Mr. President has made, I want to say that no matter the number that are here, we are capable of holding our own.”

He added that those defecting to the majority party were merely exercising their constitutional rights.

“I want to wish my brother and friend, Kelvin, who has just left the third row here to go to the last row there, good luck,” he said.

“When it was announced that he was going, and that he had made adequate consultations, I asked, who did he consult? Because he didn’t talk to me. I know my brother came here on the back of the Obidient Movement. He came here on a sympathy vote. But that’s a story for another day.

“This chamber is becoming too full, and it should be of concern to you. For the rest of us that are here, Mr. President, we are satisfied that we are still here, and we will remain here until 2027.”

Chukwu’s defection further reduces the Labour Party’s presence in the Senate to just four members, leaving Senator Okey Ezea (Enugu North) as the only LP senator from Enugu State.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) now holds 28 seats, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) each have one senator. The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) retains two.

Wednesday’s defection adds to a growing list of opposition losses in the Senate, coming months after four PDP senators; Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East), Oluwole Olubiyi (Osun Central), Aniekan Bassey (Akwa Ibom North-East) and Samson Ekong (Akwa Ibom South), defected to the APC amid internal party disputes.