By Mercy Aikoye
The House of Representatives on Tuesday witnessed a major political realignment as no fewer than 27 lawmakers defected from their parties during plenary, significantly altering the balance of power in the Green Chamber.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the session, formally announced the defections following the reading of letters from the affected lawmakers.
The wave of defections saw the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) gain the highest number of new members, with 14 lawmakers joining its ranks, further strengthening its dominance in the House.
Among the notable shifts, eight members from Kano State dumped the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for the APC, citing internal party crises as the reason for their decision.
Other movements included lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) defecting to smaller parties such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Accord Party.
The development has raised the APC’s strength in the House to about 280 members out of 360, leaving opposition parties with significantly reduced numbers.
The PDP now trails with about 38 members, while the ADC, LP, and NNPP hold 15, 12, and five seats respectively, underscoring the shifting political dynamics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Some of the defecting lawmakers attributed their decisions to prolonged internal crises, leadership disputes, and divisions within their former parties, which they said had hindered effective participation in legislative activities.
However, the development has continued to generate concerns among political observers over the weakening of opposition parties and its implications for Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
