Nigeria’s political landscape witnessed a major realignment on Tuesday as 27 members of the House of Representatives switched party affiliations, deepening the wave of defections ahead of the 2027 general election and further reshaping the balance of power in the National Assembly.
The latest defections saw the ruling All Progressives Congress gain 14 new members, although it also lost two lawmakers, while the African Democratic Congress and other smaller parties also recorded gains.
Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, announced the defections during plenary, expressing disappointment over the decision of two members to leave the APC for opposition parties.
The development significantly boosted the APC’s strength in the Green Chamber, raising its membership to about 280 out of the 360-member House. The Peoples Democratic Party, which has continued to lose members, now trails distantly with 38 seats, while the ADC has 15 members. The Labour Party and New Nigeria People’s Party are left with 12 and five members respectively, while the Accord Party and the Action Peoples Party (APP) each have two members.
The shift marks a dramatic reversal from the composition of the 10th House of Representatives inaugurated in June 2023, when the APC held 181 seats and opposition parties collectively controlled 179, with the PDP alone accounting for 115 members.
One of the most notable defections was that of House Deputy Spokesman Philip Agbese, whose exit had been widely anticipated. On Tuesday, the Benue lawmaker formally left the APC for the Labour Party, citing the lingering political crisis involving Hyacinth Alia and Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume.
Agbese, who represents Ogbadibo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency, thus became the first lawmaker elected on the APC platform to defect to a minority party in the current House.
Other lawmakers who changed platforms included Ademola Akani and Lanre Oladebo Omoleye, who moved from the PDP to Accord, while Ikenga Ugochinyere of the PDP and Anthony Nwogu of the Labour Party both joined the APP.
A number of lawmakers also defected to the ADC, led by House Deputy Minority Whip George Ozodinobi, who cited internal crisis within the Labour Party as the reason for his departure.
“I am leaving LP due to the crisis in the party. The crisis has affected the collective pursuit of a common agenda, and we believe that the decision to join the ADC will enhance my contribution to national development,” Ozodinobi said.
Others who moved to the ADC included Harris Uchenna (Labour Party, Anambra), Yahaya Tongo (PDP, Gombe), Oluwaseyi Sowumi (Labour Party, Lagos), Aliyu Mustapha Abdullahi (APC, Kaduna), Mani Maishinko (PDP, Sokoto), Abdulsamad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto), and Umar Yabo (PDP, Sokoto).
The APC also recorded a major boost from the NNPP, as Mustapha Tijani, Mohammed Shehu, Dankwa Idris, Hassan Shehu, Tanimu Yusuf, Mohammed Ciroma, Sani Madaki, and Tijani Jobe all defected from the party to the ruling bloc.
In addition, the APC gained Ja’afaru Yakubu (PDP, Taraba), Sadiq Tafida (PDP, Taraba), Ibrahim Mohammed (PDP, Kebbi), and Hassan Shinkafi (PDP, Zamfara).
Former Deputy Minority Leader Sani Madaki, who was among those leaving the NNPP, said his decision was driven by the prolonged crisis within the party and internal divisions surrounding the Kwankwasiyya movement.
According to him, the conflict has fractured the party along the lines of loyalists of the party’s founders and supporters of former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The political significance of the day was heightened by the presence of Abba Yusuf, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, and former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, who attended the plenary to welcome the eight NNPP defectors from Kano State into the APC.
The defections came just a day after Kwankwaso himself reportedly dumped the NNPP for the ADC, alongside several loyalists, including former Kano Deputy Governor Aminu Gwarzo and the party’s 2023 governorship candidate in Kano, Yusuf Gawuna.
Explaining his decision to join the APC, Kebbi lawmaker Ibrahim Mohammed, who represents Birnin Kebbi, Kalgo and Bunza Federal Constituency, blamed what he described as persistent leadership crises and internal divisions within the PDP.
He said the opposition party had become “deeply enmeshed in unresolved leadership tussles and litigations,” weakening its ability to function effectively.
“The persistent leadership crisis and internal conflicts within the party have made it increasingly difficult for committed members like myself to contribute meaningfully to its growth and democratic responsibilities,” he said.
Mohammed confirmed that he had formally communicated his resignation to his ward leadership in Nasarawa I Ward, Birnin Kebbi, and had also notified the Speaker of the House.
PDP Senator Also Dumps Party for APC
In a related development, Senator Peter Jiya, who represents Niger South Senatorial District, also defected from the PDP to the APC on Tuesday, citing deepening internal disputes within his former party.
The defection was formally conveyed in a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, which was read during plenary.
In the letter, Jiya said he had resigned from the PDP with effect from March 10.
“I wish to notify you and the Senate that I have resigned my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party effective today,” the letter read.
Explaining the move, he pointed to what he described as “quarrels and irreconcilable divisions” within the party.
Jiya also announced his intention to continue his political career under the APC banner, while thanking the PDP for the opportunity to serve.
His defection came less than 24 hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission formally recognised a faction of the PDP’s National Working Committee aligned with Nyesom Wike, further deepening the party’s internal crisis.
Agbese Dismisses Governorship Speculation
Addressing journalists after his defection, Agbese insisted that his decision was driven purely by the wishes of his constituents and not by any governorship ambition in Benue State.
“Well, first and foremost, let me thank the people of Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency for the opportunity to be here,” he said.
He added that after critically reviewing the political machinery that brought him into office, his constituents had decided that the Labour Party was now the most viable political vehicle for the future.
Agbese thanked Labour Party leaders, including Nenadi Usman, for accepting him into the party.
“I want to categorically put it on record that our defection is about service to our people. It is about making ourselves available again for service come 2027,” he said.
He described himself as the new political leader of the Labour Party in Benue State, while also acknowledging Alex Otti as the national leader of the party.
Agbese said there was a need to leave behind the political culture of the APC and embrace a fresh approach within the Labour Party.
On why he did not join the ADC, he said the decision reflected the specific political preference of his constituents, whom he described as strong believers in multi-party democracy.
He also dismissed speculation linking his defection to a governorship bid.
“There’s no governorship ambition in sight at the moment. We cannot rule that out in the near or far future, but at the moment, I think it is about the people,” he said.
Agbese further reaffirmed his loyalty to George Akume, signalling that despite his new party alignment, his ties to the SGF remain intact.
The latest wave of defections underscores the growing volatility of Nigeria’s political space as parties reposition for the 2027 elections, with internal crises, strategic alliances, and personal political calculations increasingly shaping the country’s evolving power map.
ADEOLA KUNLE
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