By Our Reporter Abuja
IN WHAT political pundits have described as a massive tectonic shift ahead of the next general elections, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) suffered a devastating blow in the Green Chamber on Tuesday, as 16 members of the House of Representatives formally defected to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The lawmakers announced their defection on the floor of the House in a joint letter read by the Speaker during plenary.
This development is coming barely 24 hours after national political heavyweights, former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, and former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, dumped the ADC to pitch their tents with the fast-growing NDC.
While the 16 lawmakers cited internal divisions and a desire to align with the progressive vision of Obi and Kwankwaso, the ADC suffered a further blow as another prominent lawmaker, Hon. Leke Abejide, representing Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopa-Muro Federal Constituency of Kogi State, broke ranks to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Kwankwaso, Obi Domino Effect
The mass defection, which caught many by surprise, heavily impacted the ADC’s caucuses in Kano, Anambra, and Lagos states. Observers note that the movement is a direct fallout of the political alliance between Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, whose exit from the party on Monday signaled an immediate realignment of forces.
The defecting lawmakers stated that their decision was guided by the need to provide a formidable alternative for Nigerians and to consolidate a unified opposition front under the NDC banner.
The 16 federal lawmakers who officially moved to the NDC, spanning across Kano, Anambra, Lagos, and Rivers states, include:
Hon. Yusuf Datti (Datti Yusuf Umar) — Kura/Madobi/Garun Mallam Federal Constituency, Kano State
Hon. Uchenna Okonkwo (Harris Uchenna Okonkwo) — Idemili North/Idemili South Federal Constituency, Anambra State
Hon. Adamu Wakili (Sani Adamu Wakili) — Minjibir/Ungogo Federal Constituency, Kano State
Hon. Thaddeus Attah — Eti-Osa Federal Constituency, Lagos State
Hon. George Ozodinobi (George Ibezimako Ozodinobi) — Njikoka/Dunukofia/Anaocha Federal Constituency, Anambra State
Hon. Prof. Lilian Orogbu (Lilian Obiageli Orogbu) — Awka North/Awka South Federal Constituency, Anambra State
Hon. Oluwaseyi Sowunmi (Seyi Sowunmi) — Ojo Federal Constituency, Lagos State
Hon. Peter Aniekwe (Peter Udeogalanya Aniekwe) — Anambra East/Anambra West Federal Constituency, Anambra State
Hon. Mukhtar Zakari (Muktar Umar Zakari) — Tarauni Federal Constituency, Kano State
Hon. George Oluwande (George Adegeye Olawande) — Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency, Lagos State
Hon. Munachim Umezuruike (Manuchim Umezuruike) — Port Harcourt I Federal Constituency, Rivers State
Hon. Emeka Idu (Emeka Idu Godwin Obiajulu) — Onitsha North/Onitsha South Federal Constituency, Anambra State
Hon. Jesse Onuakalusi (Jesse Okey-Joe Onuakalusi) — Oshodi-Isolo I Federal Constituency, Lagos State
Hon. Ifeanyi Uzokwe (Peter Ifeanyi Uzokwe) — Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency, Anambra State
Hon. Afam Ogene (Afam Victor Ogene) — Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Anambra State
Hon. Abdulhakeem Ado (Abdulhakeem Kamilu Ado) — Wudil/Garko Federal Constituency, Kano State
Abejide Joins Ruling APC
In a surprising twist, Hon. Leke Abejide, a high-ranking member representing the Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopa-Muro Federal Constituency in Kogi State, declined to follow his colleagues to the NDC. Instead, Abejide announced his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that his move was to better align his constituency with the federal government’s developmental agenda.
To understand the magnitude of today’s tsunami in the National Assembly, one must look back at the trajectory of the third-force movement in Nigerian politics.
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the political landscape witnessed an unprecedented awakening with the emergence of Peter Obi and the ‘Obidient’ movement, alongside Rabiu Kwankwaso’s formidable ‘Kwankwasiyya’ movement in the North.
Although they ran on separate party platforms in 2023, their subsequent merger and entry into the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was viewed as a strategic masterstroke aimed at wresting power from the ruling APC.
However, internal friction, leadership tussles, and disagreements over the party’s future direction reportedly frustrated both leaders. This culminated in their dramatic exit to the relatively fresh National Democratic Congress (NDC) just 24 hours ago.
The immediate defection of 16 House of Representatives members—most of whom rode to power on the coattails of Obi and Kwankwaso’s grassroots popularity—confirms that the lawmakers’ loyalty remains tied to these individual political figures rather than the ADC platform itself.
What This Means for 2027: > With this development, the ADC has been effectively depleted in the National Assembly, losing its strategic footings in key electoral hubs like Lagos, Kano, and Anambra. Conversely, the NDC has instantly transformed into a major opposition force in the Green Chamber overnight.
With more defections expected in the Senate and various State Houses of Assembly in the coming days, the political equation for the 2027 general elections is rapidly being rewritten.
