WAVE OF DEFECTIONS ROCKS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AS APC TIGHTENS GRIP ON DELTA
A new chapter in Nigeria’s political realignment unfolded on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, as eight members of the House of Representatives formally defected from their original parties to new political platforms, further tilting the balance of power within the lower chamber. The most impactful shift came from Delta State, where six lawmakers from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) crossed over to the All Progressives Congress (APC), significantly consolidating the ruling party’s influence in the South-South.
The leader of the group, Rep. Nicholas Mutu, a legislative veteran and the current head of the Southern Caucus, was joined by five other influential lawmakers, signaling not just a mass exodus but a calculated political recalibration. With these defections, APC now controls 8 out of Delta’s 10 federal constituencies, reshaping the state’s representation in the National Assembly.
Elsewhere, in Enugu State, Reps. Chidi Obetta and Dennis Agbo left the Labour Party, citing protracted internal crises and unresolved leadership tussles, to realign with the PDP. Their departure reflects broader instability within LP, which has now lost eight members since July 2024.
Overall, the tally of defections since mid-2024 has reached 24, with the APC as the dominant beneficiary, having absorbed 21 defectors. The PDP and LP have suffered the greatest attrition, while no member has defected from APC to any other party—a trend that underscores the party’s current political centripetal force within the legislature.
