Tensions Rise As Lawmakers Plot Defections Ahead Of Assembly Resumption
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More members of the House of Representatives elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party are reportedly set to defect to other political parties ahead of the National Assembly’s resumption on March 31, 2026.
According to findings by Sunday PUNCH, the leadership of the House is expected to formally announce a new wave of defections when lawmakers reconvene, a development that could further weaken opposition parties already facing internal challenges since the 2023 general elections.
Among those said to be leaving the PDP are Bamidele Salam, Clement Akanni, Mahruf Adewale, Soji Adetunji, and Mudashiru Alani, all from Osun State. They are expected to join the Accord Party, following the earlier defection of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke from the PDP to the same party. His move has reportedly influenced growing dissatisfaction within the party’s ranks in the state.
In Taraba State, Jaafaru Yakubu, who represents the Bali/Gassol Federal Constituency, has resigned from the PDP and is expected to join the All Progressives Congress (APC). Similarly, Mohammed Bassi of Adamawa State is also preparing to defect to the ruling party.
One of the lawmakers, speaking anonymously, blamed internal conflicts within the PDP for the wave of defections, stating that the party has struggled to regain stability since losing power in 2015. He argued that ongoing leadership disputes have weakened the party and pushed members toward more stable platforms like the APC.
The NNPP is also experiencing exits, with four of its lawmakers—Tijjani Mustapha, Muhammed Shehu, Dankawu Idris, and Hassan Hussain—reportedly submitting their defection letters and awaiting formal announcement. They are expected to align with the APC.
In Lagos, Seyi Showunmi of the Labour Party is also said to be preparing to join the African Democratic Congress, while the APC may lose one of its members, Deputy House Spokesman Philip Agbese, who is reportedly considering a move to the Labour Party due to internal disagreements.
At the end of the 2023 elections, the APC held 175 seats in the House, followed by the PDP with 116, the Labour Party with 35, and the NNPP with 19. However, subsequent defections have shifted the balance of power significantly in favour of the APC.
As a result, the ruling party now controls a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, further consolidating its influence and reducing the strength of opposition parties in legislative affairs.
