Nelson Effiong, the senator representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District, has defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Mr. Effiong was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The Senate announced the defection of Mr. Effiong, through its official twitter handle @NGRSenate.

“Breaking: Senator Nelson Effiong (Akwa-Ibom South) defects from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC),” the senate tweeted, Thursday morning.

The senate said the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, who is from the same state with Mr. Effiong, raised a point of order and spoke against his defection.

The senator cited the division within the PDP as his reason for leaving the party.

There had been rumours that Mr. Effiong was set to dump the PDP some days ago, but was prevented from doing so by the leadership of the Senate.

Mr. Effiong, a former speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, is from the same senatorial district as the governor of the state, Udom Emmanuel.