A new round of defections has swept through the House of Representatives, with several lawmakers switching political parties in what observers see as early manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 general elections.
During Tuesday’s plenary, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu read multiple letters announcing the changes, highlighting the shifting alliances within the legislature.
He dismissed concerns that the trend could lead to a one-party system, insisting it reflects democratic choice.
“This is to show the country that no party is stiffled. People are leaving the majority party to the minority parties and the minority parties to the majority party. This is the beauty of democracy,” Kalu said.
One of the prominent defections came from Lagos, where Hon. Thaddeus Attah, representing Eti-Osa Federal Constituency, left the Labour Party for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In his letter, Attah cited internal disputes within the Labour Party as the reason for his exit, noting that the crisis had affected his ability to effectively represent constituents.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suffered the biggest losses, with five lawmakers defecting to other parties. Among them, Hon. Abubakar Abdul from Niger State moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC), while Hon. Yakubu Noma (Kebbi) joined the ADC and Hon. Ibrahim Mohammed (Kebbi) also switched to the APC.
In Osun State, Hon. Mudashiru Alani and Hon. Adetunji Olusoji dumped the PDP for the Accord Party.
The APC also recorded exits, as Hon. David Fuoh from Taraba defected to the PDP, while Hon. Bashir Zubair of Kaduna joined the ADC, underlining the two-way nature of the political realignments.
The wave of defections comes amid persistent internal crises in major parties, particularly the PDP and Labour Party, as well as growing competition among smaller parties seeking to expand their influence.
With less than two years to the next general elections, lawmakers are increasingly recalibrating their political affiliations based on electoral prospects, party stability, and alignment with key political figures.
Since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, the APC has retained majority control in the House, though opposition parties continue to explore alliances and defections to strengthen their standing.
The rise of smaller parties like the ADC as beneficiaries of these movements suggests a gradual broadening of Nigeria’s political space beyond the traditional dominance of the APC and PDP.
Plenary was later adjourned to Wednesday in honour of the late Kano lawmaker, Hon. Hassan Danjuma, who passed away on April 10, 2026, at the age of 66.
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