10 SENATORS GIVE NOTICE TO DUMP PDP FOR APC •NO DEFECTION IN SENATE YET - SPOKESMAN

TEN senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have submitted a notice of defection to the All Progressives Congress(APC).
The senators, led by Senator Bukola Saraki, wrote a notice of defection which was signed by eleven lawmakers, with one of them said to have opted out.
The notice of defection, signed by the senators, was, however, not read on the floor by the Senate President, David Mark, at the Wednesday sitting.
It was learnt that the presentation of the letter by Saraki to Senator Mark was seen as having gone against the Senate rules.
It was gathered that the letter was presented after the Senate plenary session had started, as, according to rules, such notices should have been presented during announcements and petitions at the beginning of the sitting.
It was also gathered that the Senate leadership believed that such a notice should come on the names of the senatorial districts, while sources also said senators needed to come through Order 43 of the Senate Rules book, which called for personal explanation.
It was also gathered that the Senate president might not have read the letter as a result of the interpretation of Order 53(5), which forbade the Senate from debating matters in court.
Senate spokesman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, however, said the upper chamber was not aware of the letter of defection said to have been written by the senators.
“There is no such thing on the floor. In that case, I cannot confirm what has not been read on the floor. As of today, there is no such thing until the letters are read on the floor,” abaribe said.
Senators who appended their signatures to the defection letter included Saraki, Kwara Central; Shaba Lafiagi, Kwara North; Magnus Abe, Rivers South East; Wilson Ake, Rivers West; Muhammed Bindo Jubrilla, Adamawa North; Mohammed Danjuma Goje, Gombe Central; Alhassan Jummai Aisha, Taraba North; Muhammed Ali Ndume, Borno South and Abdulahi Ibrahim Gobir, Sokoto East.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Senator Umaru Dahiru Tambuwal, whose name was listed on the letter, was, however, said to have told the Senate President that he had backed out of the defection plan.
Sources said the 10 senators were billed to have a meeting with Mark later on Wednesday on the matter.
Source: Tribune