The House of Representatives experienced a significant political realignment on Tuesday as 17 lawmakers officially defected from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) in anticipation of the 2027 general elections. The mass defection was announced during plenary, marking one of the largest bloc movements in the current legislative session.
Timing and Context of Defections
This development comes less than 24 hours after prominent opposition figures, including former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, also left the ADC for the NDC. During Tuesday's plenary, Leke Abejide also formally notified the House of his defection from the ADC to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
List of Lawmakers Who Defected to NDC
The lawmakers 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, Munachim Umezuruike, Emeka Idu, Jesse Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene, and Abdulhakeem Ado.
Peter Obi's Statement on His Move
Obi stated that his decision to join the NDC was driven by the urgent need to “rescue Nigeria” from worsening economic and governance challenges. He emphasized that the decision followed deep reflection on the state of the nation and the direction of its democracy. “I joined the NDC to continue the struggle for a new Nigeria built on justice, competence, accountability, and compassion for the ordinary Nigerian,” he said. He maintained that his defection from the ADC was not driven by personal ambition or convenience, but by what he described as orchestrated crises and litigations within political parties that undermine democratic participation.
