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R-APC NASS Members Plot Mass Defection To PDP, July 31
Members of the All Progressives Congress in the Senate and House of Representatives may defect en mass to the Peoples Democratic Party shortly before July 31, our correspondenthas gathered.
Investigations showed that the Reformed All Progressives Congress split from the main APC, last Wednesday, was the first phase of the plot ahead of the mass defection.
It will be reminiscent of a similar mass defection by the new Peoples Democratic Party to the APC in the run-up to the 2015 polls in 2014.
Findings indicated that in spite of the belittling of the strength of the R-APC by the APC, many lawmakers were aggrieved and would leave the latter.
One senior source among the lawmakers told our source that though he had chosen to stick with the APC for “personal reasons,” he was aware that many of his colleagues would spring a surprise soon.
The source added, “A lot is happening but the whole truth is not being told by the APC. There is this impression that because the party has many supporters in the North-West, there is a guarantee for them.
“Members are not happy. Politics is about self interest. When governors collude with party officials to snatch the return tickets of members, you know they will seek survival elsewhere.
“Return ticket is the issue. In the APC, many of them have been told to forget 2019. If they will get it in PDP, then that is the aim of the planned mass defection. There are consultations across board and before the end of the month, they will make the defection come through.
“With the split, the R-APC has fulfilled the provision of Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution. There are sufficient grounds to leave the APC today with the division created by the split.”
The section reads, “A member of the Senate or House of Representatives shall vacate his seat if “being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that house was elected – Provided that his membership of the latter political is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member…”
It was learnt that as many as 80 Reps were on standby, in the first instance, to defect to join the alliance with the PDP.
The source added, “Take it or leave it, the APC can no longer beat its chest to say it has the loyalty of members in many states, particularly in the North-Central states, where herdsmen kill villagers at will, and with no action by the Federal Government.
“States like Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Kwara, Taraba contributed in swinging the votes in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
“So, you are looking at an alliance between these states and the almost wholesale support for the PDP in the South-East and the South-South and you will get the picture.
“Even in the North-West, the APC will lose members in Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa and Gombe states. The situation is not different in the South-West, where the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, can no longer secure mass support like he did in 2015.”
A member with strong affinity to R-APC, Mr. RazakAtunwa, disclosed to newsmen that the faction had a robust action plan that it would unfold as time progressed.
Atunwa, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Justice, stated that people seemed to have a narrow understanding of the discord within the APC and preferred to reduce it to a few political office holders.
He claimed that there were “many senators, Reps, members of the state Houses of Assembly and more people across the country,” who had issues with the party.
“I will say that after the (illegal) national convention, things are beginning to unfold.
“It is a matter of time and the reality will dawn on everyone. There is a massive disagreement. This is not a joke,” Atunwa said.
Asked to put a figure to the lawmakers who might defect, Atunwa stated that it was unnecessary since time would address the question.
“There is no need because the numbers will make themselves available in a matter of time, shortly; very shortly,” he added.
Speaking with one of our correspondents, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara South), one of the lawmakers loyal to Senate President BukolaSaraki, insisted that those who were marginalised would be forced out of the APC .
Asked to confirm the comments by his House of Representatives counterpart that the mass defection would occur by the end of July in the National Assembly, Ibrahim said, “There is no need for you to try to confirm such a decision. There is no need. It is as simple as that.”
Also speaking a Senator from the South-West, who is eyeing the governorship seat of his state, disclosed that he was considering Accord Party as an alternative.
According to him, the governor of his state has hijacked the APC structure in the state. He said his case would become worse if the outgoing governor, who is from the same senatorial district with him, should go after his seat at the Senate.
“I won’t join the bandwagon but I may dump the APC depending on the political events in the state in the coming days. I am considering Accord Party because it has some dominance here.
“That is why I will advise those who plan to defect en mass to consider the politics in their individual localities,” the lawmaker said.
A senator from the North-Central, who confided in Our correspondent, said the mass defection from the APC was also imminent in the Senate.
“Just like it occurred in 2014 when the nPDP senators left the PDP for the APC, this same thing will happen before the end of the month. Many senators that have close affinity with the R-APC will join the PDP,” the federal lawmakers said.
On its part, the R-APC said attempts by the Adams Oshiomhole-led APC to break its ranks were doomed to fail.
The National Publicity Secretary of the R-APC, KassimAfegbua, said this in a telephone interview with newsmen in Abuja.
He said members of the R-APC had reached a point of no return in their quest to restore the APC to its original state of pro-masses, purpose driven platform for genuine democrats to access power for good governance and general welfare of Nigeria and Nigerians.
According to him, speculation that the R-APC is given life to prepare grounds for defection to another party is part of the propaganda by those seeking to weaken the resolve of the group to rebuild the APC.
He explained that what the R-APC was interested in currently was to ensure that promises made by the APC to Nigerians in 2015 were fulfilled.
Afegbua said, “Democracy is a system that caters to the interest of the majority of people in a given society. That is why it is called democratic rule. We resist attempts to push Nigeria towards a civilian dictatorship.
“They said we are hirelings. The people they are going to talk to in the National Assembly; are they also hirelings? You visit the Senate; you visit the House of Representatives. Why are you talking to them? It is coming a little too late because we are determined to take the APC back to the right path.”
Meanwhile, the lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Dino Melaye, has hinted on his defection from the APC to the PDP in a video on his social media platforms on Friday night.
In the video, in which Melaye danced while singing a song common with those on the battlefield but with modified lyrics, described the opposition PDP as “home” that he had missed.
While mocking the APC, he also said, “bye bye to jatijati (a Yoruba adjective that means disarray).”
President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.
The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.
The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.
“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.
Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.
Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”
Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”
He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.
“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.
According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”
He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.
The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.
However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.
At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.
They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.
After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.
By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.
In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.
“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.
“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.
He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.
“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”
The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.
Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.
However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.
Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.
A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.
It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.
The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.
“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
But lawmakers rejected the request.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.
“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.
“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.
The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”
Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.
The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.
Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.
The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) said over 17 million Nigerians travelled out between 2023 and 2024.
This is as the association announced that it would be organising a maiden edition of Eastern Travel Market 2025 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital from 27th to 30th August, 2025.
Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone, Hope Ehiogie, disclosed this during a news briefing in Port Harcourt.
Ehiogie explained that the event aims to bring together over 1,000 travel professionals to discuss the future of the industry in the nation and give visibility to airlines, hospitality firms, hospitals and institutions in the South-South and South-East, tagged Eastern Zone.
He stated that the 17 million number marks a significant increase in overseas travel and tours.
According to him, “Nigerian travel industry has seen significant growth, with 17 million people traveling out of the country in 2023”.
Ehiogie further said the potential of tourism and travel would bring in over $12 million into the nation’s economy by 2026, saying it would be a major spike in the sector, as 2024 recorded about $4 million.
“The potential of tourism and travel is that it can generate about $12 million for the nation’s economy by 2026. Last year it was $4 million.
“In the area of travels, over 17 million Nigerians traveled out of the country two years ago for different purposes. This included, health, religious purposes, visit, education and others,” Ehiogie said.
While highlighting the potential of Nigeria’s tourism, he said the hospitality industry in Nigeria has come of age, saying it is now second to none.
The Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone further said, “We are not creating an enabling environment for business to thrive. We need to support the industry and provide the necessary infrastructure for growth.”
He said the country has a lot of tourism potential, especially as the government is now showing interest in and supporting the sector.
Ehiogie emphasized that NANTA has been working to support the industry with initiatives such as training schools and platforms for airlines and hotels to sell their products.
He added, “We now have about four to five training schools in the region, and within two years, the first set of students will graduate. We are helping airlines sell tickets and hotels sell their rooms.”
Also speaking, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NANTA, Stephen Isokariari of Dial Travels, called for more support from the industry.
Isokariari stated, “We need to work together to grow the industry and contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
“With the right support and infrastructure, the Nigerian travel industry has the potential to make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy.”