Nine senators on Thursday defected from their respective political parties to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), signalling one of the most significant political shifts in the Nigerian Senate in recent months.
The defections were announced during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who read letters submitted by the lawmakers formally notifying the chamber of their decisions to leave their former parties.
Those who moved to the African Democratic Congress include Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto South), Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo (Nasarawa South), Binos Dauda Yaroe (Adamawa South), Austin Akobundu (Abia Central) and Lawal Adamu Usman (Kaduna Central), all of whom defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Others are Ireti Kingibe (FCT), Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and Tony Nwoye (Anambra North), who left the Labour Party (Nigeria), as well as Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), who defected from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
While reading Tambuwal’s letter on the floor of the Senate, Akpabio said the former Sokoto governor cited the persistent internal crisis within the PDP as the reason for his defection.
According to the letter, leadership disputes, litigations and deep divisions within the party had made it difficult for him to continue his active participation as a member.
“The persistent internal crisis, leadership disagreements, litigations, and divisions within the party at various levels have weakened the unity and direction that once defined the party,” Tambuwal wrote, formally announcing his decision to join the ADC.
The Senate leadership also disclosed that the chamber would review the circumstances surrounding Abaribe’s defection, giving him one week to reconsider his position.
The development follows questions over whether Abaribe’s claim that he was removed from APGA leadership structures in September 2025 satisfies constitutional provisions for defection without risking the loss of his seat.
Senate Composition Changes
With the latest defections, the ADC now has nine members in the Senate.
The current composition of the chamber stands as follows: the All Progressives Congress (APC) with 85 senators; ADC with nine; PDP with eight; New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) with one; National Democratic Coalition (NDC) with one; APGA with one; and the Social Democratic Party (Nigeria) (SDP) with one.
Three seats are currently vacant following the deaths of Barinada Mpigi (Rivers South-East), Godiya Akwashiki (Nasarawa North) and Okey Ezea (Enugu North).
Implications for 2027 Elections
The defections represent an unusual political shift away from the ruling APC, as recent political realignments in Nigeria have largely involved opposition politicians joining the governing party.
The development comes amid concerns among opposition figures that the country could drift toward a one-party dominant system following several defections by governors and lawmakers to the APC since President Bola Tinubu assumed office.
However, Tinubu has repeatedly dismissed such concerns, insisting that Nigeria remains a multi-party democracy.
The growing presence of the ADC in national politics is linked to a coalition of opposition leaders who adopted the party in July 2025 as a platform to challenge the APC in the 2027 general elections.
Prominent figures associated with the coalition include Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Nasir El-Rufai and David Mark.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revised the timetable for the 2027 general elections following the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026.
Under the new schedule, presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16, 2027, while governorship and state assembly elections are slated for February 6, 2027, a move aimed at avoiding a clash with the Ramadan fasting period.
Party primaries are expected to take place between April 23 and May 30, 2026, while political parties must submit candidate nominations from June 27 to July 11, 2026.
Campaigns for national elections will commence on August 19, 2026, with the voter register scheduled for publication on December 15, 2026.
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