A fresh wave of political realignments swept through the House of Representatives on Tuesday, with several lawmakers dumping their political platforms for new ones.
The defectors cited deep-seated internal divisions and unresolved disputes within their former parties as the primary reasons for their exit.
The Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, officially announced the movements during plenary as the House resumed from its Easter break.
Among the most notable moves was Thaddeus Atta (Lagos), who left the Labour Party (LP) for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In his letter, Mr. Atta blamed “persistent internal divisions within the LP,” stating that the crisis had made it “increasingly difficult for him to effectively discharge his legislative responsibilities to his constituents.”
The defection trend touched all major parties, including:
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Basiru Usman (Sokoto): Left the APC for the ADC.
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Abubakar Buba (Niger): Moved from the PDP to the APC.
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Sani Noma and Ibrahim Mohammed (Kebbi): Noma joined the ADC, while Mohammed moved to the APC, both leaving the PDP.
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Mudashiru Alani and Olusoji Adetunji (Osun): Both dumped the PDP for the Accord Party.
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David Abel (Taraba): Moved from the APC to the PDP in a reverse switch.
Lawmakers exiting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) pointed to “irreconcilable differences” and claimed to have conducted “wide consultations with political stakeholders” before making their move.
This latest development follows a massive wave on March 31, where at least 26 lawmakers formally defected.
One of the most shocking moves then was the House deputy spokesperson, Philip Agbese (Benue), who “left the APC for the Labour Party, citing internal party disputes in his state.”
Prior to that, on March 12, another 12 members had moved from the PDP, LP, and YPP to join the APC and ADC.
Political analysts view these “early manoeuvres” as a sign of deepening fractures within Nigeria’s political parties as actors begin to position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
