How 120 Defections Reshaped National Assembly

Lawmakers, Yiaga Africa, CISLAC, others say it’s betrayal of voters’ trust

By James Kwen and Samson Elijah

What began as a trickle of defections shortly after the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in 2023 has now snowballed into one of the largest waves of political cross-carpeting in Nigeria’s democratic history.

From the Senate to the House of Representatives, more than 120 federal lawmakers have dumped the political parties on whose platforms they were elected, triggering concerns about political loyalty, ideological bankruptcy, and the weakening of Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.

While many lawmakers have gravitated towards the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), others have moved among opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Accord Party and the emerging Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).

Last week, however, a fresh wave of defections hit the National Assembly. Although most of the lawmakers had earlier defected from the parties on whose platforms they had won election, they again joined the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).

The development followed the defection of former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso from the ADC to the NDC.

A number of lawmakers were also making their first moves to new political parties, making the 10th National Assembly one of the most politically fluid in Nigeria’s democratic history.

The scale of the defections has unsettled the political landscape, with many critics saying the trend reflects the primacy of survival politics in the country.

House of Reps

In the House of Representatives, defectors from the crisis-ridden PDP to the ruling APC include Oluwole Oke (Osun), Hussein Jallo (Kaduna), Adamu Tanko (Niger), Victor Nwokolo (Delta), Julius Pondi (Delta), Thomas Ereyitomi (Delta), Nicholas Mutu (Delta), Ukodhiko Jonathan (Delta), and Ezechi Nnamdi (Delta).

From Akwa Ibom State, Idem Uyime, Esin Etim, Paul Ekpo, Uduak Odudoh, Okon Bassey, Etteh Ikpong, and Mark Esset — all PDP members — alongside Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo of the YPP, also joined the APC.

Three PDP members in the House — Ajilesoro Taofeek Abimbola, Omirin Olusanya, and Marcus Onobun — equally defected to the APC. Similarly, four NNPP lawmakers from Kano State — Kabiru Usman, Abdullahi Sani, Abdulmumin Jibrin, and Sagir Koki — moved to the ruling party.

The only PDP member from Benue State in the House, Ojema Ojotu, also defected to the APC, alongside Godwin Offiono and Akpanke from Cross River State, and Paul Nnamchi of the LP from Enugu State.

In Kaduna State, Abdulkarim Ahmed, Aliyu Abdullahi, and Sadiq Abdullahi all dumped the PDP for the APC. Six opposition lawmakers from Enugu State and Daniel Asama from Plateau State also moved to the ruling party.

Three PDP lawmakers from Katsina State — Balarabe Dabai, Iliyasu Abubakar, and Salisu Yusuf — equally defected to the APC, while Mansur Jega from Kebbi State resigned from the PDP to join the ruling party.

From Rivers State, Awaji Inombek, Boma Goodhead, Boniface Emerengwa, and LP member Manuchim Umezurike also crossed over to the APC.

At a plenary in December 2025, six PDP lawmakers — Robinson Dekor, Bob Solomon, Hart Cyril, Victor Obuzor, Blessing Amadi, and Felix Uche — defected to the APC.

This year alone, 27 members of the House of Representatives have announced defections to new political platforms. While some joined the APC, others moved between opposition parties.

Among them are Deputy Minority Leader Aliyu Madaki, Ghali Tijjani Mustapha, Shehu Bello, Dankawu Idris, Hussain Hassan Shehu, Rabiu Yusuf, Garba Mohammed Ciroma, Tijjani Abdulkadir Jobe, and Ibrahim Mohammed, who all defected from the NNPP to the APC in Kano State.

Others include Jaafaru Yakubu, Sadiq Abbas Tafida, Ibrahim Mohammed, Bello Shinkafi, and Mohammed Bassi, who left the PDP for the APC.

On their part, Deputy Minority Whip George Ozodinobi, Harris Okonkwo, and Seyi Sowunmi defected from the LP to the ADC. Also, Yaya Tongo, Mani Maishinko Katami, Abdussamad Dasuki, and Umar Yusuf Yabo left the PDP for the ADC. Akanni Clement Ademola and Oladebo Lanre Olomololaye also defected from the PDP to the Accord Party.

Further defections saw Mustapha Abdullahi and Philip Agbese leave the APC for the ADC and LP, respectively, while Ikenga Ugochinyere and Nwogu Mathew dumped the PDP for the APP.

Last month alone witnessed several defections. Three lawmakers joined the ADC, two defected to the APC, two moved to the Accord Party, and one returned to the PDP.

They include Abubakar Abdul Buba, who defected from the PDP to the APC; Sani Yakubu Noma, who moved from the PDP to the ADC; Ibrahim Mohammed Bunza, who joined the APC; Mudashiru Alani, who switched from the PDP to the Accord Party; and Olusoji Adetunji, who also defected to Accord.

Others include Thaddeus Attah, who moved from the LP to the ADC; Bashir Usman Zubairu, who defected from the APC to the ADC; and David Abel Fouh, who left the APC for the PDP.

Still in April, seven lawmakers defected from the NNPP and PDP to the ADC and APC, respectively. These include Sani Adamu Wakil, Umar Mukhtar Zakari, Yusuf Umar Datti, and Abdulhakeem Kamilo Ado, who moved from the NNPP to the ADC.

Others — Emeka Chinedu Martin, Kabiru Ahmadu Maipalace, and Muhammed Jajere — defected from the PDP to the APC.

On Wednesday, 18 members of the House of Representatives defected from the ADC to the NDC and APC. While 17 joined the NDC, one lawmaker moved to the APC. Some of them had already left previous parties before making another move.

Among those who joined the NDC are Yusuf Datti, Harris Okonkwo, Sani Adamu, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Obiageli, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Anekwe, Zakari Mukhtari, George Olawande, Murphy Omoruyi, Umezuruike Manuchim, Emeka Idu, Jese Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene, and Kamilu Ado.

Hon. Leke Abejide, representing Yagba Federal Constituency of Kogi State, moved from the ADC to the APC, becoming a first-time defector.

Barely 24 hours later, Bello El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, also defected from the APC to the ADC. He, too, was making his first move.

On the same day, Umar Ajilo and Suleiman Richifa defected from the PDP to the ADC, while Kamilu Ado and Joshua Obika joined the NDC.

With the latest defections, the APC now has 283 members in the House, despite losing one member. The PDP has dropped to 27 seats, the ADC has increased to 9, and the NDC now has 19 lawmakers.

Senate

The Senate has also witnessed a similar wave of defections since its inauguration in June 2023.

At the inauguration, the APC had 59 senators, the PDP 36, LP 8, NNPP 2, SDP 2, and YPP 1, giving opposition parties a combined 50 seats against the APC’s 59.

However, judicial rulings and defections soon reshaped the chamber. In October 2023, the Court of Appeal nullified the election of Abubakar Ohere (APC, Kogi Central), leading to the swearing-in of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP) on 2 November 2023.

Similarly, Darlington Nwokocha of the LP was replaced by Austin Akobundu of the PDP after a court ruling.

In another major shift, the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah defected from the YPP to the APC, eliminating YPP representation in the Senate.

By 2025, after several defections, the APC had increased its seats to 75, while the PDP dropped to 26, LP to 4, APGA to 2, and both the NNPP and SDP to 1 each.

Nine senators, including Aminu Tambuwal, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Victor Umeh, and Ireti Kingibe, later defected to the ADC, further altering the opposition bloc.

Last Wednesday, Senator Rufai Hanga defected from the NNPP to the NDC, while Senator Ibrahim Mustapha defected from the PDP to the ADC. Both were first-time defectors.

In another twist, Abaribe and Umeh later made fresh defections to the Labour Party and the NDC, respectively.

The trend has raised concerns among political stakeholders, civil society groups, and analysts, who warn that the APC’s growing dominance could weaken democratic checks and balances.

Opposition lawmakers have cited “irreconcilable differences” and internal party crises as reasons for their defections, while others pointed to alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, criticised the defections and urged that affected seats be declared vacant in line with constitutional provisions.

Trend of defections poses risks to Nigerian democracy 

Civil society organisations, including Yiaga Africa and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), alongside political analysts and academics, have warned that the growing wave of defections in the National Assembly poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy, weakens opposition politics and erodes public trust in the electoral process.

Former Senate Minority Leader Enyinnaya Abaribe described the trend as dangerous to democratic governance, warning of what he called an emerging political hegemony.

“It is politically disastrous for Nigeria. Dissent in politics is what makes it a democracy,” he said.

Yiaga Africa also warned that the defections reflect the weakening of ideological politics and internal democracy within political parties.

Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, told LEADERSHIP Sunday the steady movement of lawmakers and governors from opposition parties to the ruling APC raised serious concerns about the health of Nigeria’s multi-party system.

“Political parties are the vehicles of democracy, and when politicians switch parties without clear ideological or policy reasons, it deepens public cynicism about politics and weakens democratic accountability.

“Such defections often signal that politics is driven more by personal or transactional interests rather than principles or public service. This undermines citizens’ trust in the political process and further erodes the credibility of the party system,” Itodo said.

Executive Director of CISLAC and Head of Transparency International Nigeria (TI-N), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, shared similar concerns, saying defections undermine voter confidence and weaken legislative oversight.

“When lawmakers defect, they betray the mandate given to them by voters. It weakens oversight, diverts focus from lawmaking to political survival, and risks turning the legislature into a rubber-stamp body,” Rafsanjani said.

He added that the trend “creates opportunities for corruption, undermines opposition parties, and erodes public trust in governance.”

Executive Director of the CREAP Africa Initiative, Sylvanus Udoenoh, described the defections by governors, senators, and lawmakers to the APC as “a troubling signal for Nigeria’s democratic health.”

“These defections have reshaped the legislative arithmetic, expanded the APC’s dominance, and shrunk the space for opposition voices. While defectors cite alignment with the federal government or internal party crises as justification, this pattern weakens institutional checks and balances,” he said.

Udoenoh also faulted recent comments credited to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, celebrating the reduced number of opposition senators.

“The APC’s numerical dominance should not replace the need for competition and accountability. Defections should reflect genuine ideological alignment, not political survival or patronage,” he added.

Defections as political fraud

Executive Director of the Grassroots Centre for Rights and Civic Orientation (GRACO), Armsfree Ajanaku, described the defections as evidence of “politics devoid of principles”.

“Taking the mandate voters gave to one party and transferring it to another is political fraud. Legislators who defect are trapped in a moral crisis, and effective governance suffers as a result,” he said.

National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) and former National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Chief Peter Ameh, warned that the APC’s growing dominance threatens constitutional checks and balances.

“This overwhelming majority will foster APC solidarity but will effectively drive a nail into the coffin of the legislative checks and balances enshrined in the 1999 Constitution,” Ameh said.

According to him, the National Assembly risks becoming a rubber-stamp institution if opposition voices continue to weaken.

“With such dominance, the Senate risks undermining the vital role of the opposition in ensuring accountability, robust debate, and independent oversight of the executive.

“This development risks transforming the National Assembly into a body focused on echoing executive directives — singing ‘on your mandate we shall stand’ — at the expense of the Nigerian people,” he said.

Ameh further warned that opposition oversight was already fragile and could soon become almost non-existent.

“Nigeria deserves a vibrant legislature that represents diverse voices and holds the executive accountable,” he added.

Political science lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr Christian Okeke, also linked the defections to what he described as “bread-and-butter politics”, driven largely by personal survival and political gain.

“The negative influence of an overwhelming APC majority in the Senate can be understood in the context of bread-and-butter politics — politics of self-preservation and personal aggrandisement,” he said.

Okeke argued that lawmakers who defect for personal benefits are unlikely to challenge decisions that favour the ruling party.

“There is no way you beg to join to eat and then deliberately shake the table to pour the food away. The fear of losing out and being deprived of benefits reserved for loyal members will ultimately shut mouths and sear consciences,” he said.

He also expressed concern over what he described as declining legislative standards, weak debates and poor oversight.

“We are already witnessing worrisome scenarios where debates are not robust, screening is not thorough, and tampering with passed bills is not treated seriously,” he said.

Okeke urged Nigerians to collectively defend democracy and hold leaders accountable rather than leaving the burden solely to civil society organisations.

“Citizens must realise that collective action and collective voices are what could save the country, not leaving the task to familiar civil society voices who are often targeted to be silenced,” he said.

He further warned that the weakening of opposition parties could damage accountable governance.

“With what is going on, accountable, responsible, and responsive governance — the hallmark of true democracy — continues to suffer.

“This is not a role that should be reserved for a few domestic and foreign volunteers; Nigerians must strengthen their collective voice. Doing otherwise is dangerous,” the don added.