30 Reps defect as ADC overtakes PDP in opposition rankings, APC gains 14
By: Abudu Olalekan
Tuesday brought pandemonium to the House of Representatives – not messy exactly, more like tightly packed disorder. Among the shift, thirty legislators chose new political homes, marking a rare wave of movement across party lines during the 10th Assembly. After the dust quieted, something unusual stood out – the African Democratic Congress now held status no one predicted: holding second place among opposition groups within the chamber.
Bet your eyes aren’t playing tricks. It’s ADC standing tall, not PDP tagging along.
Here’s how it went – those figures show more than they seem. What unfolded becomes clear when you look closer.
Seven folks showed up when ADC kicked off Tuesday. Come lunchtime, another nine had joined in, bringing totals to sixteen by sunset. Hard to believe it once flew under everyone’s radar come voting time.
Folks in power arrived from every corner – members of the ruling APC mixed with those from rival groups caught off guard by what unfolded.
Even so, the APC saw both gains and losses unfold across the hours. Fourteen fresh faces arrived even as two walked away, nudging their count to 280. Dominance remains firmly theirs, without debate. Yet look at the Peoples Democratic Party – now there’s pain. Twelve slipped out, none stepped in. A quiet blow, really.
Floor numbers show a steep gap – 37 faces stand against 280 wearing the ruling party badge. Balance feels more like tilt when counting heads one by one.
The Labour Party felt the hit too. Four walked out, just one came in – twelve remain. Accord started with four, added two, yet ended up at three; losses slipped through, details unclear. Numbers don’t quite line up, truth be told.
Right now, a few of these departures stand out – not just for what happened, but for the people behind them.
A sudden shift happened when George Ozodinobi left the Labour Party behind. Now he stands with ADC instead. Holding a top role among opposition members made this switch stand out. His seat covers Njikoka, Anaocha, Dunukofia – all inside Anambra State. Not some quiet name on the list – he had real influence before walking away.
Heading out alongside him from LP to ADC were Harris Okonkwo, representing Idemili North and Idemili South in Anambra, followed by Seyi Sowunmi from Ojo, Lagos. When three people under one party flag shift toward another destination together, it hints at deeper currents beneath personal complaints.
Falling apart fast – that’s what happened to the PDP. Into ADC went four of them, each from separate corners of the country. Out of Gombe came Yaya Bauchi Tongo, representing Gombe alongside Kwami and Funakaye. From Sokoto, a trio made the move. Mani Maishinko Katami stepped in for Binji and Silame. Abdussamad Dasuki joined, tied to Kebbe and Tambuwal. Then there was Umar Yusuf Yabo, bringing names like Yabo and Shagari into the mix.
Not even the APC stayed untouched. Choosing a different path, Mustapha Abdullahi – from Ikara/Kubau in Kaduna – moved to the ADC after deciding it fit his direction more closely.
Few people took different paths outside ADC. Philip Agbese, representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo in Benue, shifted from APC straight into Labour Party. Meanwhile, Akanni Ademola of Boluwadiro/Ifedayo/Ila in Osun switched his base from PDP over to Accord Party.
Nowhere else drew support like the Action Peoples Party did in Imo. Ugochinyere Michael Ikeagwuonu from Ideato shifted from PDP straight into its fold instead. Over from Aboh Mbaise and Ngor Okpala came Nwogu Mathew, who walked away from Labour Party just to land there too.
Over in Taraba, Jaafaru Yakubu left PDP behind, joining APC instead – he represents Bali and Gassol. Not far off, Sadiq Abbas Tafida switched too, swapping his PDP tag for an APC one; Jalingo, Yorro, Zing now stand under his new banner. Meanwhile, Zamfara watched Bello Shinkafi trade PDP for APC – Shinkafi and Zurmi following along quietly.
Fleeing the opposition, Ibrahim Mohammed of Kebbi – covering Birnin Kebbi, Kalgo, Bunza – shifted sides to join the current power holders. From Adamawa, where Mayo Belwa, Ganye, Jada, and Toungo fall under his reach, Mohammed Bassi made the same move at nearly the same time.
Fresh off a switch, Oladebo Lanre Olomololaye now walks under Accord’s banner instead of PDP in Osun. Though once tied to one party, movement brought change – different name, same political stage. Not forced, not rushed, just shifted ground beneath familiar feet.
What they claim happened inside their old groups caused the split. Each person gave nearly identical explanations. Could be truth. Might also be standard talk used when leaving a party. Hard to tell which version fits best.
Bashir Gorau of Goronyo/Gada in Sokoto switched from PDP to ADC during that full meeting. In the same stretch of debate, George Olawunde representing Amuwo-Odofin in Lagos shifted his loyalty from Labour Party to ADC.
Funny thing happens next – suddenly, it turns tense.
A single day saw nine lawmakers jump ship – from Kano, all once loyal to the New Nigeria People’s Party – now wearing APC colors. Not one or two, but nine. Same state, same timing. Call it what you want, yet patterns like this rarely happen by accident. Something behind the scenes stitched this move together.
Out of Kano came a group who stepped away. Ghali Mustapha stood apart, linked to Ajingi, Albasu, and Gaya. From Fagge rose Shehu Bello, choosing his own path. Dankawu Idris moved on quietly, tied to Kumbotso by name. Nassarawa saw Hussain Hassan Shehu leave without noise. Sumaila and Takai lost Rabiu Yusuf when he walked off. Gezawa and Gabasawa shared one less voice – Garba Chiroma had gone. Ibrahim Mohammed left behind Gwale without drama. Tijjani Jobe pulled back from Tofa, Dawakin-Tofa, Rimingado – all at once. Even Aliu Madaki shifted ground; though Deputy Minority Leader, Dala was now just his seat, not his stand.
This time, silence stayed far away. Not at all. Standing right there, watching closely: Kano’s Governor Abba Yusuf, Barau Jibrin as deputy head of the Senate, ex-leader Abdullahi Ganduje, alongside a group packed with top APC figures. With faces like those present, clearly every moment had been shaped long before it unfolded.
Fresh faces are showing up in new spots. Speaker Abbas Tajudeen put it out there – Philip Agbese is now with LP. Word came through that Alex Mascot landed there too. Moves like these shift the rhythm behind closed doors. Nothing loud, just quiet steps across party lines.
What’s really going on beneath all that moving between parties?
Lately, control of the House by the APC has grown stronger. Even though they held power before, their grip is deeper now. Scattered efforts among rivals have left them drained, finding it tough to stand together – any kind of cohesion feels distant.
Few would call sixteen seats strong, yet ADC now stands taller than before. Not quite a force in the room, true – but mornings bring changes nobody saw coming. Yesterday’s shadow fades behind today’s spotlight, thin as it may be.
Right now, nothing grabs attention like how badly the PDP is doing. That group ruled every corner of government back when – sixteen full years in charge. These days? They cannot keep their people from walking away. Twelve lawmakers gone. Not one new face stepping up to take their place. With votes coming in 2027, this kind of fade draws eyes for all the wrong reasons.
Falling further behind, Labour’s grip slips more each day. Back then, Peter Obi’s spotlight pulled them through the 2023 race with solid turnout; now, followers drift away while leaders stand quiet. Fewer hands raise for them. Silence fills where plans should be.
Could these departures stem from real clashes in belief? Maybe they tie back to inner conflicts inside the party, as some officials suggest. Perhaps it is less about ideas and more about setting up for 2027. Accessing funds for local work might be part of it. Committee roles could matter too. Then again, people often move toward where influence sits.
Likely everything mentioned earlier, once you think about it.
Politics in Nigeria rarely follows clear beliefs. Personal goals usually matter more than sticking with one party. Thirty politicians moving sides on the same day, giving almost the same explanation – well, that hints at something deeper behind closed doors.
What’s clear is that the political landscape heading into the second half of this administration looks very different than it did even a few months ago. The ruling party is consolidating power. The opposition is fragmenting. And individual lawmakers are making calculations about where their interests are best served.
Whether this serves the interests of the people who elected them? Well, that’s a different question entirely.
