26 Lawmakers Switch Parties As Mass Defections Hit House Of Representatives

There was political realignment in the 

House of Representatives on Tuesday, as 26 members defected from their their respective parties into others, citing internal crises, irreconcilable differences and uncertainty, ahead of the next election cycle as reasons for leaving their former parties.

Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen announced the defections during plenary after reading letters from the affected members notifying the chamber of their decisions.

The development followed the suspension of House Rules to admit high-profile political figures into the chamber, including Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Umaru Ganduje, among others.

The defectors cut across major political parties, including the APC, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Labour Party, LP; New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, among others. Most of those who decamped, however, found new political homes in the ADC and APC.

Among the notable defections, the deputy spokesperson of the House, Philip Agbese (Benue), moved from the APC to the Labour Party, citing internal party crisis in his state.

Others include Aliyu Abdullahi (Kaduna), who defected from the APC to ADC; Akanni Clement (Osun), PDP to Accord; and Ikenga Ugochinyere (Imo), who moved from the PDP to the All Progressives Party, APP).

In a significant shift, Matthew Nwogu (Imo) also left the Labour Party for the APP, making both lawmakers among the first to join the party from the current Assembly.

Similarly, Deputy Minority Whip George Ozodinobi (Anambra) defected from the LP to ADC, alongside Uchenna Okonkwo (Anambra). Yahaya Tungo (Gombe), Seyi Sowunmi (Lagos), Mani Maishinko (Sokoto), Abdulsahmad Dasuki (Sokoto), and Umaru Yusuf (Sokoto) all moved from the PDP or LP to ADC.

Mohammed Bassi (Adamawa) defected from the PDP to the APC.

Also, there was a major political shift within the Kano caucus, where several lawmakers elected on the platform of the NNPP defected to the APC.

Leading the group, the Deputy Minority Leader Aliyu Madaki (Kano) justified his defection by citing concerns over developments within the Kwankwasiyya movement.

Other Kano lawmakers who joined the APC include Mustapha Tijani, Mohammed Shehu, Idris Dankawu, Hassan Shehu, Rabiu Yusuf, Mohammed Chiroma, Garba Mohammed, and Tijani Jobe.

The PDP also recorded further losses, with Jafaru Yakubu (Taraba), Sadiq Tafida (Taraba), Ibrahim Mohammed (Kebbi), and Bello Shinkafi (Zamfara) defecting to the APC.

In Osun State, Lanre Oladebo left the PDP for the Accord Party.

In their separate letters, the lawmakers attributed their decisions to persistent internal crises, factional disputes, and lack of cohesion within their former parties at both state and national levels.

They further said the situations had created uncertainty about their political futures, prompting them to seek more stable platforms, after consulting widely with their constituents, political associates and family members. 

Growing trend ahead of elections

The latest defections underscore a growing trend of political realignments within the National Assembly as parties begin to position for upcoming primaries and general elections.

Meanwhile, the movement of lawmakers particularly into the ruling APC and the ADC, reflects strategic calculations tied to electoral viability, access to party structures, and internal party stability.

Tuesday’s development follows an earlier wave of defections recorded on March 12, 2026, few hours before the House adjourned for Sallah recess. 

At that sitting, 12 members defected from the PDP, Labour Party and Young Progressives Party, YPP, to the APC and ADC.

Among them were four lawmakers from Adamawa State; James Barka, Laori Bitrus, Zakaria Nyampa, and Kobis Thimnu, who left the PDP for the APC.

Also, Midala Balami (Borno) and Mohammed Bargaja (Sokoto) moved from the PDP to the ruling party.

With the latest round of defections, the balance of power in the House may further strengthen the APC's legislative control of both chambers of the National Assembly.