The Peoples Democratic Party has suffered more losses in the Green Chamber on Thursday, with six lawmakers defecting to the All Progressives Congress(APC) and the African Democratic Congress, twenty-four hours after losing four of its members in the House of Representatives to rival parties.
The wave of defections also affected the Labour Party, which lost five members as political realignments escalated in preparation for the upcoming election cycle.
Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, announced the defections during plenary and blamed the wave of cross-carpeting on persistent internal problems between the opposition parties.
The lawmakers who dumped the PDP for the APC include Bitrus Kwamoti, Zakaria Nyampa, James Barka and Kobis Thinmu, all from Adamawa State; Mohammed Bargaja (Sokoto) and Midala Balami (Borno).
The African Democratic Congress defeated the Labour Party in Anambra State with Afam Ogene, Lilian Orogbu, and Peter Aniekwe. Osaro Omoruyi from Edo State and Jessy Onuakalusi from Lagos State, two other LP lawmakers, also joined the ADC.
Additionally, Anambra senator Peter Uzokwe, who was elected on the Young Progressives Party ticket, joined the ADC.
Kalu welcomed the defectors to the APC and insisted that the party’s expanding membership shows faith in its programs and leadership. He also defined the ruling party as a wide platform accessible to all Nigerians.
He said, “Some of our colleagues want to move to the APC. We have their letters here, but we cannot officially announce their defections in their absence.”
The most recent defections coincides with a nationwide trend of political realignments, with prominent opposition individuals looking to form new coalitions outside of established party structures.
Prominent figures, including former vice president Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi in 2023, have been connected to discussions in recent months with the goal of creating a coalition platform in advance of the general election in 2027.
One of the parties purportedly being considered as a potential vehicle for such a coalition is the African Democratic Congress.
Lawmakers in the National Assembly are repositioning themselves in anticipation of potential changes in the balance of power as a result of the actions, which have prompted fresh political calculations.
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