Major Legislative Shift as Nine High-Profile Senators Defect to ADC Amid Opposition Party Crises

Nine Nigerian Senators, including Tambuwal and Abaribe, defect to the ADC. Discover how this mass shift from PDP and Labour Party changes the Senate in 2026.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 12, 2026, 11:32 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Legit.ng

A Coordinated Exodus From the Opposition Caucuses

The 10th Senate experienced a substantial shift in its partisan composition on Thursday following the formal defection of nine senators to the African Democratic Congress. The lawmakers, representing diverse regions across Nigeria, delivered official correspondence to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, which was subsequently read to the general assembly. This mass movement involves high-ranking political figures, including former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and long-standing Abia South representative Enyinnaya Abaribe. The scale of this transition marks a pivotal moment in the current legislative cycle, as the ADC emerges as a reinforced minority bloc within the upper chamber.

Internal Turmoil Within the Labour Party and PDP

The motivations behind the defections vary, but a consistent theme of internal party crisis has emerged from the lawmakers' official statements. Senator Tony Nwoye of Anambra North specifically cited ongoing multiple litigations and a lack of cohesion within the Labour Party as the primary reasons for his departure. Joining him from the Labour Party are Senators Victor Umeh and Ireti Kingibe, the latter representing the Federal Capital Territory. Simultaneously, the Peoples Democratic Party lost five members to the ADC, including Aminu Tambuwal and Lawal Adamu Usman. These departures suggest a growing perception among lawmakers that their former parties no longer provide a stable platform for effective legislative engagement.

Constitutional Scrutiny of Legislative Transfers

While most defections were processed without immediate objection, the Senate leadership has placed a temporary hold on the transition of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe. Lawmakers argued that Abaribe's justification for leaving the All Progressives Grand Alliance—alleging he was removed by the party—required further verification under constitutional provisions governing legislative defections. Consequently, the Senate has granted Abaribe one week to reconsider or further justify his move. This procedural hurdle highlights the legal complexities surrounding party switches, as the Constitution generally requires proof of a division or crisis within the original party to validate such a change in status.