No fewer than 51 opposition members of the House of Representatives have dumped their parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) and Young Progressives Party (YPP), for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which now has majority seats in the Green Chamber.
The defectors include Oluwole Oke (PDP, Osun), Hussein Jallo (PDP, Kaduna) and Adamu Tanko (PDP, Niger).
From Delta State were Victor Nwokolo (Ika North East/Ika South), Julius Pondi (Burutu), Thomas Ereyitomi (Warri), Nicholas Mutu (Bomadi/Patani), Ukodhiko Jonathan (Isoko Federal Constituency) and Ezechi
Nnamdi (Ndokwa/Ukwuani), who moved from the PDP to the APC.
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From Akwa Ibom were Idem Uyime, Esin Etim, Paul Ekpo, Uduak Odudoh, Okon Bassey, Etteh Ikpong, as well as Mark Esset -- all of the PDP -- and Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo of the YPP, who all joined the APC.
Three PDP members in the House -- Ajilesoro Taofeek Abimbola and Omirin Olusanya, both from Osun State, as well as Marcus Onobu from Edo State -- equally defected to the APC.
Similarly, four NNPP lawmakers from Kano State, namely Kabiru Usman, Abdullahi Sani, Abdulmumin Jibrin and Sagir Koki, moved to the ruling party.
The only PDP member from Benue State in the House of Representatives, Ojema Ojotu, dumped his party for the APC, while Godwin Offiono (PDP, Cross River) also joined the ruling party.
Peter Akpanke (PDP, Cross River) and Paul Nnamchi, who represents Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency in Enugu State on the platform of the LP, left their parties for the APC.
Similarly, three PDP members of the House of Representatives from Kaduna State defected to the APC. They are Abdulkarim Ahmed, representing Kaduna South Constituency; Aliyu Abdullahi, representing Ikara/Kubau Constituency; and Sadiq Abdullahi, representing Sabon Gari Federal Constituency.
Furthermore, six opposition lawmakers from Enugu State and one member from Plateau State defected to the ruling party. They are Chidi Obetta (PDP, Enugu), Anayo Onwuegbu (PDP, Enugu), Dennis Agbo (PDP, Enugu), Martins George (PDP, Enugu), Nnaji Nnolim (PDP, Enugu) and Daniel Asama (LP, Plateau).
Similarly, three PDP lawmakers from Katsina State -- Balarabe Dabai (Bakori/Danja Federal Constituency), Iliyasu Abubakar (Batsari/Safana/Dan-Musa Federal Constituency) and Salisu Yusuf (Mashi/Dutse Federal Constituency) -- defected to the APC. A member of the House of Representatives from Kebbi State, Mansur Jega, also resigned from the PDP and joined the APC.
Recently, four members of the House from Rivers State defected from their respective political parties to the APC. They include Awaji Inombek (PDP), Boma Goodhead (PDP), Manuchim Umezurike (LP) and Boniface Emerengwa (PDP).
Also, at the last plenary for the year on Tuesday, 23 December 2025, six PDP lawmakers -- Robinson Dekor, Bob Solomon, Hart Cyril, Victor Obuzor, Blessing Amadi and Felix Uche -- defected to the APC.
In their separate letters, usually read by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, the lawmakers cited "irreconcilable differences" and internal divisions within their former parties, as well as their desire to support President
Bola Tinubu, as reasons for their defections to the APC.
In some instances, the Minority Leader of the House, Kingsley Chinda, opposed the defections, calling for their seats to be declared vacant.
Chinda admitted that lawmakers, like every citizen, had freedom of association, but said there were conditions attached to it which the defectors did not meet, urging the Speaker to ensure compliance.
"...Under Section 40 of our Constitution, every citizen, including parliamentarians, has the right of peaceful assembly and association, a right to choose political parties they wish to belong to.
"Therefore, whilst our colleagues are enjoying these rights this morning, we also want to say that there are conditions and consequences that follow these rights. And so the Constitution has also provided in Section 68(1)(g) the consequences when you choose to enjoy this right under Section 40 of the Constitution.
"Let me put it on record that where there is division within a party, the highest court of the land has ruled on what that means. As we speak today, it will be unlawful, out of place and inappropriate to conclude that the Peoples Democratic Party has a division in the eyes of the law.
"It is not in place if you look at the judgment of the Supreme Court. Mr Speaker, having said so, I would therefore urge you to act in line with the constitutional provision in Section 68(1)(g)," he said.
Section 68 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states: "(1) A member of the Senate or of the House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member if...
"(g) being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected; provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored..."
APC further solidified its control of the Senate following recent political defections, sparking debate among political stakeholders, civil society groups and academics over the implications for Nigeria's democracy.
The latest shift came after Senators Barinada Mpigi and Onyesoh Alwell defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
Their formal letters of defection were read during plenary on Monday, boosting the ruling party's numerical strength in the Senate.
With the new alignments, the APC now holds 78 seats in the 109-member chamber, giving it a commanding majority. The PDP has been reduced to 24 Senators, while the Labour Party maintains four seats. Other parties include the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) with two Senators, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) with one, and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) with one.
Political observers say the development highlights the growing influence of the APC in the National Assembly and could significantly impact legislative processes, leadership dynamics, and the passage of executive-backed bills.
However, the realignment has drawn sharp criticism from opposition groups and governance advocates.
The executive director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Head of Transparency International Nigeria, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said defections undermine democracy and voters' confidence.
"When lawmakers defect, they betray the mandate given to them by voters. It weakens oversight, diverts focus from lawmaking to political survival, and risks turning the legislature into a rubber-stamp body," Rafsanjani said. He added that defections "create opportunities for corruption, undermine opposition parties, and erode public trust in governance."
Sylvanus Udoenoh, executive diector of CREAP Africa Initiative, described the wave of defections by governors, senators, and lawmakers from opposition parties to the APC as "a troubling signal for Nigeria's democratic health."
"These defections have reshaped the legislative arithmetic, expanded the APC's dominance, and shrunk the space for opposition voices. While defectors cite alignment with the federal government or internal party crises as justification, this pattern weakens institutional checks and balances," he said. Udoenoh also criticised a recent remark by Senate President Godswill Akpabio that opposition senators had been reduced to just five, describing it as "unsettling and historically ironic."
"The APC's numerical dominance should not replace the need for competition and accountability. Defections should reflect genuine ideological alignment, not political survival or patronage," Udoenoh added.
Armsfree Ajanaku, executive director of the Grassroots Centre for Rights and Civic Orientation (GRACO), said defections are "politics devoid of principles. Taking the mandate voters gave to one party and transferring it to another is political fraud. Legislators who defect are trapped in a moral crisis, and effective governance suffers as a result."
Observers warn that unless political actors prioritise principle over convenience, Nigeria risks a legislature dominated by a single party, weakened opposition, and diminished democratic accountability.
APC's Senate Dominance Threatens Checks and Balances -- Ex-IPAC Chair
Speaking with LEADERSHIP, the national secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) and former National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Chief Peter Ameh, cautioned that the APC's dominance poses a serious threat to constitutional checks and balances.
"This overwhelming majority will foster APC solidarity but will effectively drive a nail into the coffin of the legislative checks and balances enshrined in the 1999 Constitution," Ameh said.
He warned that the Senate risks becoming a rubber-stamp institution if opposition voices continue to weaken. "With such dominance, the Senate risks undermining the vital role of the opposition in ensuring accountability, robust debate, and independent oversight of the executive," he added.
Ameh urged civil society organisations and concerned Nigerians to intensify advocacy and legislative oversight to counter what he described as the dangers of one-party dominance.
"This development risks transforming the National Assembly into a body focused on echoing executive directives--singing 'on your mandate we shall stand'--at the expense of the Nigerian people," he said.
He further warned that opposition oversight is already fragile and could become virtually non-existent, accelerating the erosion of Nigeria's multi-party democratic system.
"Nigeria deserves a vibrant legislature that represents diverse voices and holds the executive accountable," Ameh said, calling on all stakeholders to remain vigilant in defending constitutional democracy.
APC's Senate Majority Threatens Good Governance -- UNIZIK Lecturer
Similarly, Dr Christian Okeke, a political science lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, warned that the APC's overwhelming Senate majority could undermine good governance and democratic accountability.
According to Okeke, many defections to the ruling party are driven by what he described as "bread-and-butter politics," motivated by self-preservation and personal gain rather than ideology or national interest.
"The negative influence of an overwhelming APC majority in the Senate can be understood in the context of bread-and-butter politics--politics of self-preservation and personal aggrandisement," he said.
He argued that lawmakers who defect for personal benefits are unlikely to challenge decisions that favour the ruling party. "There is no way you beg to join to eat and then deliberately shake the table to pour the food away," Okeke stated.
The academic warned that fear of losing privileges or party benefits could silence dissenting voices in the legislature, to the detriment of the collective good.
"The fear of losing out and being deprived of benefits reserved for loyal members will ultimately shut mouths and sear consciences," he said.
Okeke also expressed concern over declining legislative standards, citing weak debates, inadequate screening processes, and questionable handling of passed bills.
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"We are already witnessing worrisome scenarios where debates are not robust, screening is not thorough, and tampering with passed bills is not treated seriously," he said, questioning how some ambassadorial nominees passed Senate screening.
He stressed that Nigerians must take collective responsibility for holding leaders accountable rather than leaving the task to a few civil society voices.
"Citizens must realise that collective action and collective voices are what could save the country, not leaving the task to familiar civil society voices who are often targeted to be silenced," he said.
Okeke also observed that major opposition parties have been deliberately weakened, leaving only limited hope in emerging political coalitions that are still at an early stage.
"With what is going on, accountable, responsible, and responsive governance--the hallmark of true democracy--continues to suffer," he warned. Calling on Nigerians, especially the masses, to engage more actively in public policy debates and demand accountability, he concluded: "This is not a role that should be reserved for a few domestic and foreign volunteers. Nigerians must strengthen their collective voice. Doing otherwise is dangerous."
Suleiman Gimba, Senior Programme Officer at CISLAC, said the current numerical dominance of the APC in the Senate is not solely the result of electoral outcomes but largely stems from post-election defections.
Gimba stressed that this distinction is critical, as Nigerians vote for candidates on the platform of different political parties, yet those mandates are often transferred through defections, undermining voter choice.
"This practice shows a profound disregard for constitutional provisions intended to protect electoral integrity and party supremacy," he said.
The 1999 Constitution, as amended, is explicit on this matter. Section 68(1)(g) provides that a member of the National Assembly shall vacate their seat upon defecting from the political party that sponsored the election, except in cases of a division or merger within the party.
However, Gimba said, "In practice, this provision has been rendered ineffective through weak enforcement and political convenience. The consequence is that votes cast for parties are retrospectively converted into mandates for another party, hollowing out the meaning of representation and accountability."
He warned that when lawmakers can defect without forfeiting their seats, elections lose their corrective power.
"This reality directly affects legislative checks and balances. The emergence of an overwhelming APC majority through defections, rather than fresh mandates, reinforces the perception of state capture and weakened oversight," he said.
