KEY POINTS

• Rivers West Senator Ipalibo Banigo has defected from the PDP to the APC, citing internal crises within the opposition party.
• Her move raises the APC’s Senate strength to 80 members and makes her one of only two female senators in the party’s caucus.
• Banigo pledged support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration and Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s development efforts in Rivers State.

Senator Ipalibo Banigo, who represents Rivers West Senatorial District, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing deepening internal divisions within her former party.

The announcement of her defection was made on Tuesday by Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, during plenary at the National Assembly.

Banigo’s decision marks another significant political shift within Nigeria’s legislative landscape and further strengthens the numerical dominance of the ruling APC in the Senate.

Banigo Blames PDP’s Internal Disputes

In a letter addressed to the Senate leadership, the former Rivers State Deputy Governor explained that persistent internal conflicts within the PDP compelled her to leave the party.

According to the senator, ongoing leadership tussles, unresolved litigations, and factional disputes within the opposition party made it increasingly difficult for her to continue operating effectively under the PDP platform.

She noted that her decision followed extensive consultations with her constituents, political associates, and key stakeholders across Rivers West Senatorial District.

Banigo stated that the move was necessary to better represent the interests of her constituents and maintain political stability in her legislative work.

With Banigo’s defection, the number of senators in the APC caucus has increased to 80, further consolidating the party’s majority in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

Her entry into the APC also makes her one of only two female senators currently in the ruling party’s caucus, highlighting the limited representation of women in the party’s Senate bloc.