President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has congratulated Senator Ibrahim Danbaba (PDP, Sokoto South) on his nomination and emergence as the Deputy Minority Whip of the Senate.

Danbaba replaces Senator Sahabi Ya’u (Zamfara North) who on July 21, 2021, defected from the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ya’u said his decision to resign his membership of the PDP was necessitated by the endemic crisis that engulfed the Zamfara State chapter of the PDP which led the national body to dissolve the State Exco of the party.

Consequently, Danbaba’s nomination as the new Deputy Minority Whip was conveyed in a letter by the National Body of the Peoples’ Democratic Party and read by the Senate President during plenary on Thursday.

The letter which was signed by the National Secretary, Senator Ibrahim Umar Tsauri reads: “As Mr. President is aware of the very unfortunate defection of the former Deputy Senate Minority Whip, Distinguished Senator Sahabi Ya’u Kaura from the Peoples’ Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the leadership of PDP studied and reviewed the unfortunate development.

“After due and wide consultations, the leadership of the party resolved to nominate and forward to you, the name of Distinguished Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Danbaba from Sokoto State to fill the vacancy in accordance with the provision of Section 47 subsection 6 of the PDP Constitution as amended in 2017.

“While counting on the confidence of the Distinguished Senate President and the entire Distinguished Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, kindly accept the PDP leadership’s highest consideration and esteemed regards.”

In his congratulatory remarks, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said, “Distinguished Colleagues, on behalf of all of us, I want to congratulate our brother and friend, Distinguished Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Danbaba and, I want to pray here, that the good works of the APC should touch the heart of our brother, too. Congratulations!”