Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said that the recent defections of opposition lawmakers to the All Progressives Congress (APC) are driven by patriotism and renewed confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s leadership.
Akpabio made this remark on Wednesday night after leading Senator Agom Jarigbe of Cross River North and Senator Kaila Samaila of Bauchi North to a meeting with President Tinubu at the State House, Abuja. Both lawmakers had recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling APC.
Speaking with reporters after the meeting, Akpabio described the move as a sign of faith in Tinubu’s ongoing economic reforms and commitment to rebuilding the nation.
“They (Jarigbe and Samaila) are Mr President’s children and his supporters. The President is the father of the nation and of all political parties,” Akpabio said.
The Senate President noted that while the lawmakers were originally elected on different political platforms, their decision to align with the APC reflects their desire to contribute to national unity and economic recovery.
“As a result of Mr President’s policies that have turned things around economically and in terms of revenue generation, they found it expedient to join the effort to build Nigeria,” he added.
“Theirs is nothing but patriotism. They are not motivated by politics but by a desire to support leadership that can deliver food on the tables of Nigerians.”
In his remarks, Senator Agom Jarigbe explained that his defection was guided by conviction rather than politics, stressing that President Tinubu’s administration is making meaningful progress in governance.
“I joined the APC because the President is doing well, and I want to support him in delivering the dividends of democracy to our people,” Jarigbe said.
Akpabio, who has consistently praised the President’s reform agenda, described the defections as evidence of growing bipartisan support for Tinubu’s policies aimed at stabilising the economy and improving national productivity.
