A fresh wave of defections hit the House of Representatives on Tuesday as lawmakers switched parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu read out the defection letters at plenary after the Easter break, describing the movement as part of Nigeria’s democratic process.
“This is to show the country that no party is stifled. People are moving from the majority to minority parties and vice versa. This is the beauty of democracy,” Kalu said.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recorded the biggest loss, losing five members.
The All-Progressives Congress (APC) also lost lawmakers, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Accord Party gained new entrants.
Among the notable defections, Thaddeus Attah of Lagos State left the Labour Party for the ADC, citing internal crisis in the party.
“The protracted crisis in the leadership of the LP has hampered effective representation,” Attah said in his letter.
Abubakar Abdul (Niger) moved from the PDP to the APC, Yakubu Noma (Kebbi) joined the ADC, while Ibrahim Mohammed (Kebbi) defected to the APC. In Osun State, Mudashiru Alani and Adetunji Olusoji left the PDP for the Accord Party.
However, the APC also lost members, including David Fuoh (Taraba), who moved to the PDP, and Bashir Zubair (Kaduna), who joined the ADC.
Analysts say the defections reflect early political positioning ahead of the 2027 elections, driven by party crises, re-election interests, and shifting alliances within the National Assembly.
The House adjourned plenary to Wednesday in honour of late Kano lawmaker Hassan Danjuma, who died on April 10, 2026.
