The wave of political defections in Nigeria’s House of Representatives intensified on Wednesday as six lawmakers from the New Nigeria Peoples Party and the Peoples Democratic Party formally switched allegiance to the All Progressives Congress and the African Democratic Congress.
This latest development comes on the heels of earlier defections within the week, further underscoring the growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
During plenary presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, four lawmakers from Kano State elected on the NNPP platform announced their defection to the ADC, citing persistent internal crises within their former party.
Adamu Wakili, representing Minjibir/Ungogo Federal Constituency, who spoke on behalf of the group, explained that ongoing leadership disputes within the NNPP influenced their decision to exit the party.
“I find it imperative to align with a platform that guarantees inclusion,” his resignation letter read.
Other lawmakers who moved from the NNPP to the ADC include Umar Zakari, Umar Datti, and Abdulhakeem Ado, all of whom also pointed to prolonged divisions within the party at both state and national levels as reasons for their departure.
In separate developments, Ahmadu Kabiru from Zamfara State resigned from the PDP and joined the APC, while Chinedu Martins of Imo State also left the PDP for the ruling party. Martins noted that he had already been politically aligned with the APC at the ward level since March 2026.
Despite these movements, the APC continues to maintain a commanding majority in the House of Representatives with 282 members. The PDP’s representation has now dropped to 30 seats, while the ADC has increased its strength to 24 members.
Other parties in the House include the Labour Party with 10 seats, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) with five, and the Accord Party with four. The Action Peoples Party and the Social Democratic Party each hold two seats, while the NNPP has been reduced to just one seat following the latest defections.
What you should know
The recent defections in the House of Representatives reflect ongoing political instability and strategic repositioning ahead of the 2027 elections.
Internal crises within parties like NNPP and PDP are driving lawmakers to seek more stable platforms such as APC and ADC. These shifts are gradually reshaping the balance of power in the legislature, strengthening the ruling APC’s dominance while boosting ADC’s growing presence.
The trend suggests that further defections may occur as politicians align with parties they believe offer better chances for political survival and electoral success in the coming election cycle.
