By Joy Yesufu
No fewer than 17 members of the House of Representatives have defected from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), in a major political realignment announced during plenary on Tuesday.
The defections were formally read on the floor of the Green Chamber, signalling a fresh shift in party loyalties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a related development, the lawmaker representing Yagba Federal Constituency, Leke Abejide, also announced his defection from the ADC to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Those who moved to the NDC include Yusuf Datti, Uchenna Okonkwo, Adamu Wakili, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Aniekwe, Mukhtar Zakari, George Oluwande and Munachim Umezuruike.
Others are Emeka Idu, Jesse Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene and Abdulhakeem Ado.
The mass defection marks one of the largest single-day shifts in party affiliation within the current House, raising questions about internal cohesion within the ADC and the growing influence of emerging political platforms such as the NDC.
While reasons for the defections were not formally stated during plenary, political observers say the development may be linked to ongoing leadership disputes within the ADC and strategic positioning ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.
More details are expected to emerge as lawmakers clarify their positions in subsequent statements.
