ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- No fewer than 12 members of Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Thursday announced their defection from their political parties, signalling fresh political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The lawmakers switched allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), further raising concerns about instability within several parties as political calculations for 2027 gather momentum.
Of the defectors, six lawmakers left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling APC.
They include James Barka, Kwamoti Bitrus Laori, Zakaria Nyampa and Kobis Thimnu from Adamawa State, as well as Midala Balami from Borno State and Mohammed Bargaja from Sokoto State.
Five other lawmakers abandoned the Labour Party and the PDP to join the ADC.
They are Afam Victor Ogene, Peter Aniekwe and Lilian Orogbu from Anambra State, Jessey Onakalusi from Lagos State, and Murphy Osaro Omoruyi from Edo State.
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Another member also defected from the Young Progressives Party (YPP) to the ADC, further swelling the ranks of the opposition party.
Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over plenary in Abuja, disclosed that several other lawmakers had written to the House leadership indicating their intention to dump their parties.
Kalu, however, explained that the letters from those members would not be read during the session because the lawmakers concerned were not present in the chamber.
He said the House would only read the letters and officially announce their new political platforms when the lawmakers0 appear on the floor.
While announcing the latest defections, Kalu noted that the reasons cited by the lawmakers were similar to those previously given by other members who had switched parties in recent months.
The development follows a similar wave of defections during Wednesday’s plenary when Garba Inuwa and Abdullahi El-Rasheed from Gombe State, alongside Mohammed Audu from Taraba State and Joshua Obika from the Federal Capital Territory, defected to the APC.
Also on Wednesday, Adewale Adebayo from Osun State left the PDP to join the Accord Party.
The series of defections has further fuelled political manoeuvring within the National Assembly as parties reposition ahead of the next general elections.