Isaac Samuel
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the House of Representatives on Tuesday witnessed a major political shake-up as 28 lawmakers formally defected from their political parties
The lawmakers cited internal crises, factional disputes, and uncertainties ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
Among those that defected were eight lawmakers from Kano State who officially announced their defections from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), to the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the Green Chamber.
Their defection was witnessed by Kano State Governor Abba K. Yusuf, Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, former Governor of Kano Ganduje, and many others.
Speaker Abbas Tajudeen announced the defections during plenary after reading letters from the affected members notifying the chamber of their decisions.
The movement cut across major parties, including the APC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and NNPP with many lawmakers gravitating to the APC and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The defections included high-profile lawmakers such as Philip Agbese of Benue, who left the APC for the Labour Party citing state-level crises, and Aliyu Abdullahi of Kaduna, who moved from the APC to the ADC.
From Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere switched allegiance from the PDP to the All Progressives Party (APP), while Matthew Nwogu left the Labour Party for the same platform.
In Anambra, Deputy Minority Whip George Ozodinobi and Uchenna Okonkwo both moved from the LP to the ADC, signaling a significant realignment within the region.
Sokoto and Gombe states also saw shifts, with Mani Maishinko, Abdulsahmad Dasuki, and Umaru Yusuf joining the ADC, alongside Yahaya Tungo of Gombe and Seyi Sowunmi of Lagos.
Adamawa’s Mohammed Bassi left the PDP for the APC, while in Osun, Akanni Clement moved from the PDP to the Accord Party. Further losses hit the PDP in Taraba, Kebbi, and Zamfara as Jafaru Yakubu, Sadiq Tafida, Ibrahim Mohammed, and Bello Shinkafi all defected to the APC.
Kano State recorded one of the most dramatic shifts, with a group of NNPP lawmakers crossing to the APC.
Leading the charge was Deputy Minority Leader Aliyu Madaki, who cited growing concerns over the direction of the Kwankwasiyya movement.
Others who joined included Mustapha Tijani, Mohammed Shehu, Idris Dankawu, Hassan Shehu, Rabiu Yusuf, Mohammed Chiroma, Garba Mohammed, and Tijani Jobe..
In their letters, the defectors explained that prolonged internal disagreements, factionalism, and a lack of cohesion within their former parties left them with little choice but to seek more stable platforms.
Many noted that they consulted with constituents, family members, and political associates before taking their decisions, highlighting the political calculations behind the moves.
