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By Tracy Moses
A total of 27 members of the House of Representatives switched parties on Tuesday, reshaping the composition of the chamber ahead of the 2027 general election. The All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged as the main beneficiary, gaining 14 new members while losing two.
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, announced the defections during plenary, lamenting the decision of two lawmakers to leave the APC for opposition parties.
The defections have strengthened the ruling party’s majority, increasing its membership to about 280 of the 360-seat House. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) now has 38 members, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) 15, the Labour Party (LP) 12, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) 5, while the Accord Party and the Action Peoples Party (APP) each have two members.
Notable defectors included Ademola Akani and Lanre Oladebo Omoleye (PDP to Accord), Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo) and Anthony Nwogu (LP, Imo) to APP.
House Deputy Minority Whip, George Ozodinobi, led a group of LP members to the ADC. “I am leaving LP due to the crisis in the party. This decision will enhance my contribution to national development,” he said. Others moving to ADC include Harris Uchenna (LP, Anambra), Yahaya Tongo (PDP, Gombe), Oluwaseyi Sowumi (LP, Lagos), Aliyu Mustapha Abdullahi (APC, Kaduna, recently PDP), Mani Maishinko (PDP, Sokoto), Abdulsamad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto), and Umar Yabo (PDP, Sokoto).
The APC also gained Sani Madaki, Mustapha Tijani, Mohammed Shehu, Dankwa Idris, Hassan Shehu, Tanimu Yusuf, Mohammed Ciroma, Tijani Jobe, Ja’afaru Yakubu (PDP, Taraba), Sadiq Tafida (PDP, Taraba), Ibrahim Mohammed (PDP, Kebbi), and Hassan Shinkafi (PDP, Zamfara).
Speaking on his move from the NNPP, Sani Madaki, former Deputy Minority Leader, said the party’s internal crisis, dividing members between the founders and former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, made it impossible to pursue legislative goals effectively.
The realignment solidifies APC’s dominance in the House and underscores the fragility of party loyalty as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.