Six opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives have dumped their parties to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, announced their defection during Thursday’s plenary after reading separate letters from each lawmaker.
Five of the defectors are from Enugu State – Obetta Chidi, Anayo Onwuegbu, Dennis Agbo, Martins George, and Nnaji Nnolim – while Daniel Asama from Plateau State also joined them. All six lawmakers defected from the Labour Party (LP).
Their defection was witnessed by Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, who recently joined the APC, and the party’s National Chairperson, Nentawe Yilwatda, both of whom were present at the green chamber.
With the latest development, the APC now holds 242 seats in the House, while the PDP has 74.
In their letters, the lawmakers cited “irreconcilable differences” and internal crises within their former parties as the main reasons for their defection
The Speaker formally welcomed them to the ruling party amid loud applause from APC members in the chamber.
The mass defection is the latest in a series of political realignments as the APC continues to consolidate its strength in the National Assembly, especially in the South-East, where it has been expanding its influence ahead of the 2027 elections.
However, the move has once again raised questions about Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which only allows lawmakers to defect if their current party is experiencing internal division
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