By Ayo Kehinde
The political landscape in the House of Representatives shifted significantly on Tuesday, as 27 lawmakers formally defected across party lines.
The defections saw the All Progressives Congress (APC) gain 14 new members while losing two, consolidating its dominant position in the House. Following the realignment, the APC now controls about 280 seats.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) retained its status as the largest opposition party with 38 members, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) rose to 15 seats. The Labour Party (LP) now holds 12 seats, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) was reduced to five members. The Accord and the All Peoples Party (APP) maintain two seats each.
The latest wave of defections marks a major shift from the House composition at its inauguration on June 23, 2023, when the APC held 181 seats compared to 179 held collectively by opposition parties, including 115 PDP lawmakers.
Among the high-profile movements was the defection of House Deputy Spokesman, Phillip Agbese, who left the APC for the Labour Party, citing prolonged internal political tensions in Benue State.
Meanwhile, the House Deputy Minority Whip, George Ozodinnobi, led several lawmakers from the Labour Party to the ADC, reflecting growing fractures within opposition ranks.
In a significant blow to the NNPP, nine lawmakers, including former Deputy Minority Leader, Sani Madaki, defected to the APC, attributing their departure to the internal crisis linked to the Kwankwasiyya political movement. Several PDP lawmakers from Sokoto, Taraba, Kebbi, Gombe, and Imo States also moved to either the APC or ADC, citing unresolved party disputes and factional disagreements.
Lawmakers who defected to the ADC said the move was to strengthen party cohesion and build a more structured opposition platform. Similarly, Madaki described his exit from the NNPP as a response to deepening internal divisions, while Ozodinnobi pointed to persistent conflicts within the Labour Party as a barrier to effective legislative cooperation.
The mass defections have significantly reshaped the power dynamics in the lower chamber, reinforcing the APC’s legislative advantage while further fragmenting opposition cohesion.
In a related political development, former Kano State gubernatorial candidate and ex-Deputy Governor, Nasiru Gawuna, has officially joined the African Democratic Congress.
Gawuna completed his registration at his Gawuna Ward in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano State, where he was issued a membership card amid a large gathering of supporters and political stakeholders.
Prominent figures at the event included former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, immediate past Deputy Governor Aminu Gwarzo, and the Kano State ADC Chairman, Musa Ungogo, underscoring the political weight of the defection.
Speaking after joining the party, Gawuna pledged commitment to strengthening the ADC’s structure and expanding its influence across Kano State and beyond. He described his decision as voluntary and personally motivated, following his resignation from the APC in a letter dated March 29, 2026.
Gawuna also stepped down as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, effective March 31, 2026, in compliance with federal directives requiring political appointees seeking elective office to resign. He expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the opportunity to serve in various national roles, including his tenure as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Bayero University, Kano.
