The Senate on Wednesday appointed Senator Tony Nwoye as the new Minority Whip, following a fresh wave of defections that has further boosted the numerical strength of the All Progressives Congress in the upper chamber.
Nwoye, who represents Anambra North Senatorial District, was unanimously selected by the Senate minority caucus to fill the vacancy created by the exit of his predecessor.
His emergence comes on the heels of the defection of former Minority Whip, Senator Osita Ngwu, from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC on Wednesday, one of several high-profile crossovers that altered the balance within the opposition ranks.
In a letter read on the floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Ngwu said his decision was driven by the need to align with Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah and President Bola Tinubu. He also described the APC as the most stable political platform in the country.
Nwoye was elected into the Senate in 2023 on the platform of the Labour Party before defecting to the African Democratic Congress in late 2025, positioning him within the opposition bloc prior to his new leadership role.
The reshuffle in minority leadership came amid a broader pattern of defections that has steadily eroded the strength of opposition parties in the Senate since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly.
In a related development, Senator Anthony Siyako Yaro, representing Gombe South, also announced his defection from the PDP to the APC, citing internal crises within the opposition party.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Aliyu Wadada, formally announced his defection from the Social Democratic Party to the APC. Wadada, who has also been endorsed as the APC consensus governorship candidate for Nasarawa State ahead of the 2027 elections, said he had previously aligned with the ruling party but completed the formal procedures of his defection on Wednesday.
Reacting to the developments, Senator Adams Oshiomhole commended the lawmakers, describing their defections as voluntary and consistent with constitutional provisions. He said the increasing movement of legislators into the APC reflects growing confidence in the party’s leadership and the administration of President Tinubu.
With the latest defections, the APC’s strength in the Senate has risen to 91 lawmakers, further consolidating its dominance and tightening its grip on legislative proceedings as political realignments gather pace ahead of the 2027 general elections.
