The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lost another key member in the Senate as Senator Benson Agadaga, who represents Bayelsa East, has formally defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Agadaga’s resignation from the opposition party was made public during Wednesday’s plenary session through a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and read aloud in the chamber.
Explaining his decision, the Bayelsa lawmaker said it was time for him to chart a new course in his political career, noting that the PDP had drifted from its founding principles.
“This serves as a formal notice of my decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress. As the Bible says, there is a time for everything — and I believe this is the right moment for me to move on,” Agadaga stated.
He lamented that the PDP, once regarded as Africa’s largest political party, has become weakened by infighting and self-serving interests.
“It is sad to witness the decline of a party that once stood for unity and vision. The umbrella that once sheltered many has now been torn apart — it is leaking beyond repair,” he added.
Agadaga said his defection came after “deep reflection and broad consultations,” accusing the PDP of abandoning its moral compass and losing focus on governance and service to the people.
Before becoming a senator, Agadaga held several prominent positions in Bayelsa State, including Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism; Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board; Special Adviser on Establishment Affairs; and Chief of Staff to the Governor.
He nonetheless acknowledged that the PDP played a significant role in his political journey, saying, “My rise to the Senate was made possible through the PDP when it was still strong, united, and purposeful.”
His defection adds to the growing list of PDP lawmakers switching allegiance to the APC. Just a few weeks earlier, Senator Agom Jarigbe from Cross River North also left the PDP for the ruling party, blaming internal disarray and poor leadership for his exit.
Agadaga’s move further underscores the deepening crisis within the PDP as it continues to lose members to the APC ahead of future political contests.
