There are indications that the February 17 Court of Appeal judgement that reinstated Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might leave the party in tatters. PDP, which has been hit by mass defections since it lost the 2015 general elections, might suffer further depletion going by the threats of some senators and members of the House of Representatives to dump the party because of the intractable leadership crisis Telegraph reports.

Those threatening to leave might end up in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Since the crisis started last year, four senators – Joshua Dariye (Plateau), Nelson Effiong (Akwa Ibom, Andy Uba (Anambra) and Yele Omogunwa (Ondo South), had defected to APC.

A number of House of Representatives members elected on the platform of the former ruling party, like Tony Nwoye from Anambra State have also joined the APC. Also, the Deputy Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly elected on the platform of the PDP, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, and six members of the Lagos State House of Assembly also defected in the past one week. A source disclosed that more PDP senators are being lured to leave the party so as to give the ruling party an overwhelming majority in the senate.

“We are going to witnessing more defections so that APC will be in total control of the Senate. Yes, it is believed that the crisis was orchestrated by the APC to cage the opposition, but the immediate target is (Senator Ike) Ekweremadu, to be removed as Deputy Senate President. If APC can get more PDP senators to join them, Ekweremadu will be impeached unless he agrees to join APC.

“Remember what Ali Ndume said when he was removed as Senate Leader. And Senator Kabiru Mafara was also quoted to have advised Ekweremadu to join APC or he will be impeached,” the source recalled.

At the moment, the number of APC senators has increased to 65 while that of PDP has depleted to 42 (from 49 at the inception of the 8th National Assembly in June 2015). The Labour Party has one senatorial seat while the seat of Anambra Central is still vacant. What the APC needs is a total of 72 senators, which is two-third, to move against Ekweremadu. The party leadership and the presidency have not hidden their disdain for Ekweremadu, a PDP senator as Deputy President of the Senate. Even some APC senators staged a walkout in November 2015 when Ekweremadu first presided at the Senate plenary.

According to the source, with the sack of Senator Ali Ndume as Senate Leader and his replacement with Senator Ahmed Lawan, the APC leadership would like the Senate to complete the assignment, which is to ensure that the party takes complete control of the upper chamber. But Uche Anichukwu, Media Aide to the Deputy President of the Senate, insists there is no cause for alarm.

According to him, Ekweremadu enjoys the support of some APC senators as well. “It is not about party; Ekweremadu still has supporters among the APC senators. Most of (Bukola) Saraki’s supporters are also for him. If he (Ekweremadu) is removed, the next target will be Saraki. They are playing politics, let’s see how it works out,” he stated.

A former members, of the party, Chief Jackson Lekan Ojo, said those leaving PDP to APC are driven by hunger. Chief Ojo, who is now a chieftain of APC, noted that majority of the heavy weights in the PDP that live on political patronage are broke, adding, “With Sheriff’s stupendous wealth and high level of generosity, he will win more souls to himself very soon and Makarfi’s faction will be depleted.”

Apart from joining the APC, some PDP members are favourably disposed to the party floating another party and leaving the carcass of PDP for Sheriff. Former Senate Spokesperson, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, had said last week that genuine PDP members should explore the option of forming a new political party.

“Instead of being disappointed, genuine PDP members should exploit this opportunity to jettison Sheriff and his cohorts with shell of the party while moving out to form a broad based mega party to challenge the hapless APC,” he suggested. Meanwhile, more PDP members across the country are still defecting to the APC.

The latest is former Zamfara State deputy governor, Alhaji Muktari Ahmed Anka. Alhaji Anka, who served as deputy governor between 2007 and 2011, was registered as APC member at his local government party secretariat Anka, joined the ruling party with many of his supporters, estimated at about 2, 000.

Speaking while receiving the former deputy Governor and his political allies, the chairman of APC in the local government, Alhaji Isyaka Ajiya, described the defection as a welcome development and clear indication of the party’s successes and achievements both at the local government level and the state.