The defections rocked the House as Republicans switched parties ahead of the 2027 elections

A new round of political realignment occurred in Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Tuesday, when several lawmakers disbanded their parties in a move widely seen as an early maneuver ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The development came at the plenary session, which marked the assembly’s first session after the Easter recess, where Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, officially announced a series of defections through letters submitted by affected members.

Responding to growing concerns that the trend could turn the country into a one-party state, Kalu dismissed such concerns, arguing that the cross-party movement of lawmakers reflected Nigeria’s democratic spirit.

“This is to show the country that no party is constrained, people are leaving the majority party for the minority party, and the minority party for the majority party.

“This is the beauty of democracy,” said Kalu.

One high-profile defection was that of Thaddeus Attah, who represented Eti-Osa Federal Constituency in Lagos. He announced his departure from the Labor Party to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing internal instability in his former party.

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In his defection letter, Attah explained that his decision was driven by a “prolonged crisis in the LP leadership,” which he said had hampered the effective representation of his constituents in recent months.

The People’s Democratic Party bore the brunt of the latest political shake-up, losing five lawmakers in one round. Among those who left the party were Abubakar Abdul of Niger State, who crossed over to the All Progressives Congress, and Yakubu Noma of Kebbi State, who pitched his tent with the ADC. Ibrahim Mohammed, also from Kebbi, moved to APC.

In Osun State, the PDP suffered further setbacks as Mudashiru Alani, representing Ayedire/Iwo/Ola-Oluwa Federal Constituency, and Adetunji Olusoji from Odo-Otin/Ifelodun/Boripe constituency defected to the Accord Party.

However, APC is also not free from losses. David Fuoh of Taraba State defected to the PDP, while Bashir Zubair of Kaduna State joined the ADC, demonstrating the fickle and unpredictable nature of politics today.

The spate of defections highlights a common pattern in Nigeria’s political landscape, where shifting loyalties often intensify as the election cycle approaches. With less than two years until the next general election, lawmakers appear to be recalibrating their political strategies in response to internal party crises, electoral considerations and evolving alliances.

Observers say the ongoing leadership infighting in the major parties—particularly the PDP and Labor Party—has further accelerated this trend, as both established and emerging parties struggle to consolidate their ranks ahead of the primaries.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives postponed its plenary session until Wednesday to honor the late Kano MP, Hassan Danjuma, who passed away on April 10, 2026 at the age of 66.