The House of Representatives, 10th Assembly continues to witness shifts in its partisan composition, particularly in the period leading up to the National Assembly primaries.
In recent weeks, a number of Members have cited internal leadership crises, divisions, and factionalisation within their respective political parties as reasons for their decisions to change party affiliation.
With the defection of sixteen Members across party lines over the past two weeks, the total number of defections recorded in the 10th Assembly since June 2024 has risen to 137. These movements cut across several states, including Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Lagos, Niger, Osun, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) recorded the highest gains in this latest round, adding eight Members, followed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) with five. The Majority Caucus also recorded some losses, with three Members joining parties within the Minority bloc, reflecting a fluid and evolving political landscape within the Chamber.
In terms of losses, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recorded the highest, with eight seats lost to other parties. Of these, five Members joined the APC, while the ADC and Accord Party gained one and two seats respectively. The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) recorded the second-highest losses, with four Members from Kano State defecting to the ADC.
Summary of Defections (Since July 2024)
Seats Gained by Parties:
- All Progressives Congress (APC) – 103
- African Democratic Congress (ADC) – 23
- Accord Party (AP) – 5
- Action Peoples Party (APP) – 2
- Labour Party (LP) – 2
- All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) – 1
- Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – 1
Seats Lost by Parties:
- Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – 82
- Labour Party (LP) – 26
- New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) – 18
- Young Progressives Party (YPP) – 3
- African Democratic Congress (ADC) – 1
Meanwhile, it is only the Social Democratic Party (SDP) remains the only party yet to lose any Member to defections in the 10th Assembly as gathered by 9News.
This development has continued to raise political dust across camps noting that the influx of defectors into APC ie, the leading and largest political party in Nigeria is aching and suspicious. The situation as at press time has remained verified and duly fact checked to the interest of our esteemed readership across the globe.
The overriding question has been, Can aspirants from other political parties in Nigeria win the All Progressives Congress APC in the upcoming elections, mostly the presidential election wherein the incumbent President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu is seriously contesting? Isn’t the influx of stakeholders and politicians including the youths into APC stage managed by the government in power to retain governance for second term?
Until party primaries are conducted and candidates featured , then Nigerian electorates can adjudge. However, the Governorship election is also heating up across states where mostly the incumbent may likely vacate seat to vye for other political positions. Similar scenario will occur in the mandate already given to sitting governors to harmonize and produce their candidates lists.
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