More Defections Loom As National Assembly Resumes — PDP, NNPP Set To Lose Key Lawmakers

Fresh indications have emerged that the House of Representatives may witness another wave of defections as lawmakers prepare to reconvene on March 31, 2026, with members elected on the platforms of the Peoples Democratic Party and the New Nigeria Peoples Party reportedly set to switch allegiance.

According to Ireporter Online, sources within the Green Chamber disclosed that the leadership is expected to formally announce multiple defections upon resumption, a development likely to further weaken opposition parties already grappling with internal crises since the 2023 general elections.

Among those said to be planning an exit from the PDP are Bamidele Salam, Clement Akanni, Mahruf Adewale, Soji Adetunji, and Mudashiru Alani, all representing constituencies in Osun State. The lawmakers are reportedly considering a move to the Accord Party, following the earlier defection of Governor Ademola Adeleke from the PDP, a decision that continues to reverberate across the party’s structure in the state.

In Taraba State, Jaafaru Yakubu, who represents the Bali/Gassol Federal Constituency, has already resigned from the PDP and is expected to formally align with the All Progressives Congress. Similarly, Mohammed Bassi of Adamawa State is reportedly preparing to join the ruling party.

One of the affected lawmakers, who spoke anonymously due to procedural constraints, attributed the planned defection to the lingering leadership crisis within the PDP, noting that internal divisions have continued to erode the party’s competitiveness. The lawmaker further described the APC as the most viable political platform at present, while acknowledging that the PDP could recover in the future.

The NNPP is also facing a decline in its ranks, as Tijjani Mustapha, Muhammed Shehu, Dankawu Idris, and Hassan Hussain have reportedly submitted defection notices and are awaiting formal acknowledgment on the floor of the House. They are also expected to join the APC.

In a related development, Seyi Showunmi of the Labour Party is said to be considering a switch to the African Democratic Congress, highlighting the increasing fluidity of political alignments across party lines.

However, the APC may not be immune to losses, as the Deputy Spokesman of the House, Philip Agbese, is reportedly weighing a possible move to the Labour Party. Sources linked this consideration to the ongoing rift within the Benue chapter of the APC involving Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

At the end of the 2023 general elections, the APC held 175 seats in the House, just short of the 181 required for a simple majority, while the PDP secured 116 seats, the Labour Party 35, and the NNPP 19, with other parties sharing the remaining positions. Since then, a series of defections—largely in favour of the APC—has significantly altered the balance of power, with the ruling party now commanding a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, thereby diminishing the influence of opposition parties in legislative affairs.