PDP BLEEDS OUT AS 39 LAWMAKERS JUMP SHIP TO APC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suffered a staggering blow as 39 federal lawmakers, including 22 House Representatives and 17 senators, have ditched the party in the last two years, citing prolonged internal crises, factional wars, and ideological disillusionment.
The latest wave of defections occurred just a day before the PDP’s much-anticipated National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. Seven prominent lawmakers officially resigned and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), deepening an already alarming hemorrhage of party loyalty.
The crisis tearing PDP apart has roots in a fierce leadership war between supporters of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. The fight, once an internal cold war, exploded over control of strategic positions—particularly the national chairmanship and secretariat. This culminated in the exits of Atiku, ex-Senate President David Mark, and former Minister Adamu Waziri—all now aligned with the ADC-led coalition.
PDP’s Senate numbers have now plummeted from 45 at the 10th Senate’s inception in 2023 to just 28. Meanwhile, the APC has surged to a dominant 70 seats, just three shy of the 73 needed for a two-thirds majority. Labour Party has slipped to five senators; NNPP holds one, SDP two, and APGA clings to one.
Notable defectors include Senators Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East), Oluwole Olubiyi (Osun Central), Aniekan Bassey (Akwa Ibom North East), and Ekong Sampson (Akwa Ibom South). Senator Aliyu Wadada (Nasarawa West) has also announced plans to dump the SDP for the APC, which would raise the party’s Senate tally to 71.
In the House of Reps, high-profile departures from the PDP include Hon. Chris Nkwonta, Suleiman Abubakar Gumi, Oluwole Oke, Adamu Tanko, and Victor Nwokolo, among many others from states like Delta, Akwa Ibom, Osun, and Edo.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Abbas Tajudeen formally read the resignation letters of several lawmakers during plenary, with Akpabio theatrically welcoming new members to the “right side.”
Despite the defections, PDP’s Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, has called for the seats of defectors to be declared vacant. However, Speaker Abbas merely “noted” the appeal—without acting on it.