Nigeria, May 18 -- The All Progressives Congress (APC) has refused to clear three sitting senators who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to participate in the party's senatorial primary elections in their respective states.

The senators are Benson Agadaga, who represents Bayelsa East; Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South) and Ipalibo Banigo (Rivers West). Mrs Banigo was deputy to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, when the latter was Rivers State governor.

The lawmakers separately defected from the PDP, the platform on which they were elected to the Senate in 2023, to the ruling APC. They had sought to secure return tickets under their new party, but their disqualification from the primaries has effectively shut them out of the race. ...