Senators abandon Buhari

More than a dozen senators left Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s ruling party for the main opposition on Tuesday, in a move seen as a challenge to his bid for re-election.

“[More than]15 people have defected,” senate president Bukola Saraki said in the National Assembly.

The senators left former military ruler Buhari’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the last day before parliament adjourns for recess.

Saraki’s spokesperson, Olu Onemola said: “Fifteen senators have just announced their defection to the PDP.”

Nigeria’s upper house has 109 members.

The list of senators includes Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor of the northern state of Kano, who lost to Buhari in the APC presidential primaries before the 2015 election.

He has been seen as a potential presidential candidate for the upcoming election in February but has not yet declared.

Rumours of potential defections have been swirling in recent weeks because of deteriorating relations between the executive and legislature.

Buhari has held closed-door meetings with the ambitious Saraki, who despite being a member of the ruling party, believes he has been marked out as a critic and rival by the presidency.

Saraki’s hand has been seen in claims from MPs that the security services were being used by the government to target perceived political opponents. –