House of Representatives shaken as APC strengthens majority, ADC gains momentum with entry of Gawuna – THISAGE

By Ayo Kehinde

The political landscape in the House of Representatives changed significantly on Tuesday, when 27 lawmakers formally defected across party lines.

The defections saw the All Progressives Congress (APC) gain 14 new members while losing two, consolidating its dominant position in the House. Following the realignment, the APC now controls approximately 280 seats.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) maintained its status as the largest opposition party with 38 members, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) rose to 15 seats. The Labor Party (LP) now holds 12 seats, while the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has been reduced to five members. The Accord and the All Peoples Party (APP) hold two seats each.

The latest wave of defections marks a major shift from the composition of the House at its inauguration on June 23, 2023, when the APC had 181 seats compared to 179 collectively held by opposition parties, including 115 PDP MPs.

Among the high profile moves was the defection of Deputy Speaker of the House, Phillip Agbese, who left the APC for the Labor Party, citing prolonged internal political tensions in Benue State.

Meanwhile, House Minority MP George Ozodinnobi has steered several MPs from the Labor Party to the ADC, reflecting growing fractures within the opposition ranks.

Dealing a major blow to the NNPP, nine MPs, including former deputy minority leader, Sani Madaki, defected to the APC, attributing their departure to the internal crisis linked to the Kwankwasiyya political movement. Several PDP legislators from Sokoto, Taraba, Kebbi, Gombe and Imo states also defected to the APC or ADC, citing unresolved party disputes and factional disagreements.

Lawmakers who defected to the ADC said the move was to strengthen party cohesion and build a more structured opposition platform. Similarly, Madaki described his exit from the NNPP as a response to deepening internal divisions, while Ozodinnobi pointed to persistent conflicts within the Labor Party as an obstacle to effective legislative cooperation.

Mass defections significantly reshaped power dynamics in the lower house, strengthening the APC’s legislative advantage and further fragmenting opposition cohesion.

In a related political development, former Kano State gubernatorial candidate and former deputy governor, Nasiru Gawuna, has officially joined the African Democratic Congress.

Gawuna completed his registration at his Gawuna ward in Nasarawa Local Government Area of ​​Kano State where he was issued a membership card amid a large gathering of supporters and political stakeholders.

Prominent figures present at the event included former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, immediate past Deputy Governor Aminu Gwarzo and Kano State ADC Chairman Musa Ungogo, underscoring the political weight of the defection.

Speaking after joining the party, Gawuna pledged commitment to strengthening the structure of the ADC and expanding its influence in Kano State and beyond. He described his decision as voluntary and personally motivated, following his resignation from the APC in a letter dated March 29, 2026.

Gawuna also resigned as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, effective March 31, 2026, in accordance with federal directives requiring political appointees seeking elective office to resign. He expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the opportunity to serve in various national roles, including his tenure as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Bayero University, Kano.

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