By Yinka Giwa
Defections in the House of Representatives deepened on Wednesday as six lawmakers from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) switched allegiance to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The latest movement followed similar defections earlier in the week, highlighting increasing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
At plenary presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, four NNPP lawmakers from Kano State announced their defection to the ADC, citing internal crises within their former party.
Adamu Wakili (Minjibir/Ungogo Federal Constituency), who led the group, said persistent leadership disputes in the NNPP influenced their decision to leave.
“I find it imperative to align with a platform that guarantees inclusion,” his resignation letter read.
Others who defected from NNPP to ADC include Umar Zakari, Umar Datti, and Abdulhakeem Ado, all from Kano State. They also cited prolonged internal divisions within the party at both state and national levels.
In separate moves, Ahmadu Kabiru of Zamfara State resigned from the PDP and joined the APC, while Chinedu Martins of Imo State also left the PDP for the APC, stating he had already aligned with the ruling party at the ward level since March 2026.
Despite the defections, the APC retains a strong majority in the House with 282 members. The PDP now has 30 seats, while the ADC holds 24.
Other party standings include Labour Party with 10 seats, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) with five, Accord Party with four, while Action Peoples Party and Social Democratic Party have two seats each. The NNPP has been reduced to a single seat following the latest exits.