Eight House of Representatives Members Exit Parties as Leadership Crisis and Strategic Realignment Reshape Plenary

Eight Nigerian House of Reps members switch parties, citing leadership crises and realignment. The PDP loses five members while the APC maintains its majority.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 21, 2026, 10:31 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Naija News

Legislative Resumption Marked by Mass Realignment

The House of Representatives experienced a significant shift in its composition on Tuesday as eight members officially resigned from their respective political parties. These changes were formalized through separate letters of defection read by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu during the first plenary session following the Easter break. The wave of departures affected several major political blocs, signaling a period of intense restructuring within the lower chamber of the National Assembly.

The Erosion of the Main Opposition Strength

The Peoples Democratic Party suffered the most substantial losses during the session, with five of its lawmakers choosing to exit the party. In Niger State, Abubakar Abdul moved to the All Progressives Congress, while Ibrahim Mohammed of Kebbi State also joined the ruling party. Additionally, the party's influence in the southwest was impacted as Osun State representatives Mudashiru Alani and Adetunji Olusoji defected to the Accord Party, and Yakubu Noma of Kebbi State shifted his allegiance to the African Democratic Congress.

Leadership Turmoil Forces Labour Party Exit

Thaddeus Attah, representing the Eti-Osa Federal Constituency of Lagos State, officially terminated his membership with the Labour Party to join the African Democratic Congress. In his formal correspondence to the House, Attah cited the protracted and unresolved leadership crisis within the Labour Party as the primary motivation for his departure. This move highlights the continuing administrative instability that has plagued the party's hierarchy and its subsequent effect on legislative representation.