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The Senate on Wednesday announced Senator Tony Nwoye as the new Minority Whip following a fresh wave of defections that further boosted the ranks of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the upper chamber.
Nwoye, who represents Anambra North Senatorial District, was unanimously selected by the minority caucus to fill the position vacated after the exit of the former whip.
His appointment came in the wake of the defection of Senator Osita Ngwu, the immediate past Minority Whip, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC. Ngwu’s move is part of a series of recent high-profile defections that have continued to weaken opposition strength in the Senate.
In a letter read during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Ngwu said his decision to join the APC was to align with the leadership of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and President Bola Tinubu. He also described the ruling party as the most stable political platform in the country.
Before his emergence as Minority Whip, Nwoye was elected to the Senate in 2023 on the platform of the Labour Party before later moving to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in 2025, positioning him within the opposition bloc.
The leadership change comes amid a continuing wave of defections that has significantly altered the balance of power in the 10th Senate since its inauguration.
Also on Wednesday, Senator Anthony Siyako Yaro (Gombe South) defected from the PDP to the APC, citing internal crises within his former party.
Similarly, Senator Aliyu Wadada, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, formally moved from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the APC. Wadada, who has been endorsed as the APC consensus governorship candidate in Nasarawa State ahead of the 2027 elections, said his decision formalised an earlier alignment with the ruling party.
Reacting to the developments, Senator Adams Oshiomhole commended the lawmakers, stating that their decisions were voluntary and consistent with constitutional provisions.
He added that the growing influx of lawmakers into the APC reflected increasing confidence in the party’s leadership and the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
With the latest defections, the APC now controls 91 seats in the Senate, further consolidating its majority as political realignments gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
