Defection party continues, Buhari jets to London and other top stories of the week

The mass exodus of politicians from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) continued this week after the party lost over 50 lawmakers and one state governor last week.

Not only did two state governors and the party's spokesperson defect to the People's Democratic Party (PDP) this week, the icing on the cake has to be Senate President, Bukola Saraki, finally making the move everyone saw coming.

It's hard to say with any authority if the defections had anything to do with the president's decision to go on vacation, but he left the country to his auxiliary home in London for 10 days to get some air.

Here are the biggest stories from this week:

Defection-gate

After weeks of intense speculation about his political future, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, dumped the APC for the PDP, stating that the ruling party neglected and persecuted him.

Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, followed closely behind him as did the APC national publicity secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, and all but one of the state's 24 House of Assembly members.

It didn't take long before Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, jumped the ship after Saraki, claiming that he was also neglected by the party.

A Nigerian Ambassador to South Africa, Ahmed Ibeto, also dumped the APC for the PDP after resigning his position.

The band of defectors reunited to rejoice at the PDP's NEC meeting where Saraki was appointed the party's national leader.

Judging from the words dropping out of his own mouth, President Buhari is not particularly happy about all the defections.

He made his feelings known during a campaign rally in Bauchi which held just hours after he met security chiefs in Abuja.

He soon jetted out of the country and headed to London for a 10-day vacation, leaving Prof Yemi Osinbajo in charge as Acting President.

The president also emerged as the new Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Imo drama rages on

The months of simmering tension between Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, and his deputy, Eze Madumere, reached fever pitch this week as Madumere was impeached by the House of Assembly and quickly replaced with Calistus Ekenze.

Unwilling to be outplayed, Madumere secured an order in court which stopped the government from inaugurating Ekenze just yet.

In other news...

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) is back in the news as it opened its secretariat this week and inaugurated committees.

Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu was forced to deny that he suffered from high blood pressure while being questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

A presidential aspirant, Eunice Atuejide, caused a storm on social media when she accused male presidential aspirants of prejudice after they organised a meeting allegedly without inviting any female aspirant.