The Senate Leader's appointment was contained in a letter from the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has announced Sokoto senator, Ibrahim Gobir, as the new Senate Leader.

He made the announcement at the start of plenary on Wednesday. Some opposition senators would later stage a walk-out after Mr Lawan dismissed a motion on the state of insecurity.

Mr Gobir's appointment was contained in a letter from the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu.

In the letter, Mr Adamu asked that Mr Gobir replace Abdullahi Yahaya, who left the APC for the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in June.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Yahaya, who represents Kebbi North in the Senate, left the APC on grounds of crisis in the APC in his state.

He had said he decided to pitch his tent with the PDP to join forces with compatriots at home who are struggling against incompetence, imposition and violation of democratic norms, principles and practices.

The former Senate Leader also complained that the democratic challenges and deficits in Kebbi State, started last year "when the governor illegally decapitated the state leadership of the party, imposed unelected ward, local government and state executives of the party."

"So, after having failed to get justice in my former Party, the APC, I have jumped ship to the PDP together with our teeming supporters in a struggle to democratically bring to an end the misrule and tyranny currently gripping Kebbi State," he announced in a letter to Mr Lawan.

Mr Yahaya had exited the APC alongside another Kebbi senator, Adamu Aliero - a move Mr Lawan described as heartbreaking.

Mr Aliero, who cited similar reasons for leaving, said his defection is "predicated on the fact that there is no internal democracy in the APC."

He also accused the state governor, Atiku Bagudu, of frustrating the efforts of party members in the state and giving them no chance.