At least 21 out of 24 opposition members in the House of Representatives have crossed over to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) since July 2024, according to official figures.
The House Committee on Media and Public Affairs chairman, Rep. Akin Rotimi, confirmed the shift in a statement to journalists in Abuja.
The APC has become the clear winner in the recent political realignment, absorbing the vast majority of defecting lawmakers.
He said: “The House of Representatives at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, recorded a notable development in the alignment of party affiliations, as eight Honourable Members formally announced their defection to new political platforms.
“The realignments, which were duly communicated through official correspondence and read by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, GCON, during plenary proceedings, underscore ongoing political recalibrations within the legislature.
“The most significant of these defections involved six members of the Minority Caucus from Delta State, who tendered notices of resignation from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and declared their alignment with the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling party at the national level.
“This development marks a substantial shift in the political representation of Delta State in the Green Chamber.
“Leading the group was Rep. Nicholas Mutu, Member representing Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency. A distinguished seventh-term legislator and the longest-serving Member of the House since the advent of the Fourth Republic, Rep. Mutu also holds the position of Leader of the Southern Regional Caucus in the House.”
“The other PDP members who joined the APC are: Rep. Julius Pondi (Burutu Federal Constituency); Rep. Thomas Ereyitomi (Warri Federal Constituency); Rep. Victor Nwokolo (Ika North East/Ika South Federal Constituency); Rep. Jonathan Ajirioghene Ukodhiko (Isoko North/Isoko South Federal Constituency) and Rep. Nnamdi Ezechi (Ndokwa East/Ndokwa West/Ukwuani Federal Constituency).
“As a result of this development, the APC now commands 8 of the 10 House seats from Delta State, further consolidating its majority status and affirming its widening national reach.
“Additionally, the House received formal notifications from two Honourable Members representing constituencies in Enugu State, who announced their resignation from the Labour Party (LP) and declared allegiance to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).”
They are: Rep. Chidi Mark Obetta (Nsukka/Igboeze South Federal Constituency) and Rep. Dennis Nnamdi Agbo (Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency).
“Both legislators cited persistent internal crises, leadership disputes, and irreconcilable divisions within the Labour Party as the principal motivations for their defection.
“With Tuesday’s announcements, the total number of officially documented defections in the House since July 2024 now stands at twenty-four (24). Of this number, the All Progressives Congress has emerged as the chief beneficiary, having welcomed twenty-one (21) new Members into its fold.
“The People’s Democratic Party has suffered the highest attrition, with thirteen (13) defections, followed by the Labour Party with eight (8). The African Democratic Congress (ADC), Young Progressives Party (YPP), and New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) have each lost one Member. Notably, no defections have occurred from the APC to any other political party.
“This continuing realignment reflects the evolving nature of Nigeria’s democratic processes and the strategic recalibrations undertaken by Honourable Members in pursuit of effective representation and alignment with platforms that reflect their legislative priorities and constituency interests,” Rep. Rotimi noted.
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