Nine senators in the Nigerian Senate on Thursday defected from their parties to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), marking one of the most notable political realignments in the chamber in recent months.
The defections were announced during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who read letters submitted by the lawmakers informing the Senate of their decision to leave their former parties.
Those who moved from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are 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).
Also joining the ADC are Ireti Kingibe (Federal Capital Territory), Victor Umeh (Anambra Central), and Tony Nwoye (Anambra North) from the Labour Party, as well as Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Reading one of the letters in the chamber, Akpabio quoted Tambuwal as citing the internal crisis within the PDP as the main reason for his departure.
“The persistent internal crisis, leadership disagreements, litigations, and divisions within the party at various levels have made it increasingly difficult for me to continue my active participation and commitment as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“The ongoing conflicts have unfortunately weakened the unity and direction that once defined the party. Please accept this letter as a formal notice of my defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the African Democratic Congress,” the letter read.
The Senate leadership said it would review the circumstances surrounding Abaribe’s defection and gave him one week to reconsider his position.
Questions have been raised about whether his claim of being removed from APGA leadership structures in September 2025 satisfies constitutional conditions for defection without losing his seat.
Senate composition shifts
Following the development, the ADC’s representation in the Senate has increased.
The current composition of the chamber now stands as follows: the All Progressives Congress (APC) with 85 senators, ADC with 9, PDP with 8, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) with 1, National Democratic Coalition (NDC) with 1, APGA with 1, and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) with 1.
Three seats remain vacant following the deaths of Barinada Mpigi (Rivers South-East), Godiya Akwashiki (Nasarawa North), and Okey Ezea (Enugu North).
Ahead of 2027 elections
The defections represent an unusual shift away from the ruling APC, as most recent political realignments have seen opposition politicians joining the governing party.
The development also comes amid concerns among opposition figures that Nigeria could be drifting towards a one-party dominant system following a wave of defections to the APC since President Bola Tinubu assumed office.
Tinubu has repeatedly rejected such claims, insisting that Nigeria remains a democratic and multi-party system.
The growing prominence of the ADC 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.
Key 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 Nigeria’s 2027 general elections after the passage of the Electoral Act 2026.
Under the new schedule, presidential and National Assembly elections will be held on January 16, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections will take place on February 6, 2027, earlier than initially planned to avoid clashing with the Ramadan fasting period.
Party primaries will run from April 23 to May 30, 2026, while candidate nominations are to be submitted between June 27 and July 11, 2026. Campaigns for national elections will begin on August 19, 2026, with the voter register expected to be published by December 15, 2026.