Chidinma Iroegbu
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has strengthened its numerical dominance in the House of Representatives after four lawmakers defected from opposition parties to join the ruling party, while another legislator moved from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Accord Party.
Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, announced the defections during Wednesday’s plenary in Abuja after reading letters from the lawmakers on the floor of the chamber.
The lawmakers who joined the APC are Garba Inuwa, representing Yamaltu/Deba Federal Constituency of Gombe State; Abdullahi El-Rasheed, representing Dukku/Nafada Federal Constituency of Gombe State; Mohammed Audu, representing Karim Lamido/Lau/Ardo-Kola Federal Constituency of Taraba State; and Joshua Obika, representing Abuja Municipal/Bwari Federal Constituency of the Federal Capital Territory.
Inuwa, El-Rasheed and Audu dumped the PDP for the ruling party, while Obika left the Labour Party (LP) to align with the APC.
However, Adewale Morufu Adebayo, representing Irepodun/Olorunda/Oshogbo/Orolu Federal Constituency of Osun State, announced his resignation from the PDP and subsequent move to the Accord Party.
In separate letters read during plenary, the lawmakers attributed their decisions to persistent leadership disputes and internal crises within their former political parties.
They noted that the divisions had weakened party structures and limited their capacity to effectively represent their constituents.
Obika, in his letter, specifically cited the emergence of multiple factions within the Labour Party as the major factor behind his defection.
“Recent developments within my former party have created divisions that make it difficult to pursue legislative responsibilities effectively,” he stated.
The latest defections come amid prolonged internal wrangling, leadership tussles and litigation affecting opposition parties across the country.
With the new alignments, the APC now holds 245 seats in the 360-member House of Representatives, leaving the remaining 115 seats shared among seven opposition parties.
The development gives the ruling party a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, a threshold that strengthens its influence in constitutional amendments and other key legislative decisions.