TROUBLE FOR ABARIBE AS APGA DENIES EXPELLING HIM, SAYS SENATOR RESIGNED FROM PARTY

Fresh controversy has emerged around the political future of Enyinnaya Abaribe after the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) denied claims that the Abia South lawmaker was expelled from the party.

The denial follows Abaribe’s recent defection from APGA to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a move that has already sparked heated debate within the Nigerian Senate.

Abaribe had earlier told lawmakers that he was forced to leave APGA after being expelled from the party in September 2025, arguing that the development justified his decision to join the ADC. However, the Abia State leadership of APGA has rejected the claim, insisting the senator was never sacked.

According to the party, Abaribe was only suspended for alleged anti-party activities before he eventually submitted a resignation letter on December 30, 2025, formally ending his membership.

APGA officials questioned the senator’s explanation, arguing that someone who had already been expelled would not later submit a resignation letter to the party leadership.

ALSO READ: SENATORS FAULT ABARIBE’S MOVE TO DUMP APGA FOR ADC, WARN HE RISKS LOSING SENATE SEAT

The dispute has triggered wider constitutional concerns within the Nigerian Senate, where lawmakers have been debating the legality of Abaribe’s defection. Under Nigeria’s constitution, legislators who defect from the political parties that sponsored their election may lose their seats unless the move is caused by a division within the party.

Some senators have therefore questioned whether Abaribe’s move to the ADC is constitutionally valid, noting that APGA has not acknowledged any internal crisis that could justify the defection.

Senate leaders have reportedly asked the Abia South lawmaker to present documentary evidence proving that he was indeed expelled from APGA. If he fails to do so, the controversy could escalate into a legal battle that may determine whether he retains his seat in the upper legislative chamber.

The dispute now places Abaribe at the center of one of the most significant political controversies in the Senate, as shifting party alliances ahead of the 2027 elections continue to reshape Nigeria’s political landscape.