Nigeria’s opposition landscape has been thrown into further uncertainty following a wave of defections that has significantly weakened the African Democratic Congress (ADC) across both chambers of the National Assembly, while simultaneously strengthening the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), reshaping political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The exit of two prominent political figures, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, has been widely viewed as the trigger for the latest realignment, with lawmakers across several states subsequently shifting allegiance to the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), a party that has rapidly emerged as a new focal point for opposition consolidation.
The National Democratic Congress, which received Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, recorded its biggest gains on Tuesday with the addition of 17 House members and a senator.
Weeks earlier, its ranks expanded when Seriake Dickson, representing Bayelsa West, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to join the party.
This development comes a few days after several opposition parties resolved to present a single presidential candidate against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
The wave of defections to the NDC started hours after Obi and Kwankwaso, two of the ADC’s most prominent figures, formally exited the party. These moves have significantly altered the opposition landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections, setting the stage for shifting political alliances.
The coordinated movement of lawmakers into the NDC was further reinforced by political figures drawn from Kano, Anambra, Lagos, Edo, Rivers, and Kogi States, many of whom cited internal instability within the ADC as a major reason for their departure.
Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the earlier plenary session, said the lawmakers blamed the party’s instability for their departure, noting that the crisis remained “unresolved starting from the ward to the national level.”
The defectors to the NDC are Yusuf Datti, Sani Adamu, Zakari Mukhtari, Kamilu Ado, Harris Okonkwo, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Peter Anekwe, Emeka Idu, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, and Afam Ogene. Others include Lagos lawmakers Thaddeus Attah, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, George Olwande, and Jese Onuakalusi, as well as Murphy Omroruyi from Edo and Umezuruike Manuchim from Rivers State.
In a separate development, Kogi lawmaker Leke Abejide has also left the ADC for the ruling All Progressives Congress, further compounding the party’s losses.
The scale and timing of the defections have been interpreted as closely linked to the political influence of Obi and Kwankwaso, whose exit appears to have triggered wider movement among their allies and aligned lawmakers.
Both politicians command strong regional support bases, Obi in the South-East and Kwankwaso in the North-West, making their departure particularly consequential for the ADC’s national structure.
The ADC’s internal crisis, however, had been building over time, with tensions escalating around leadership disputes, strategic disagreements, and unresolved rivalries among senior political figures. The situation was further complicated by reported disagreements involving Obi, Kwankwaso, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar during opposition coalition discussions.
As defections continued to mount, the ADC’s parliamentary strength has sharply declined, leaving the party struggling to maintain relevance in the National Assembly while opposition momentum increasingly consolidates around the NDC.
Senate President Mocks ADC as Defections Trigger Political Drama
Meanwhile, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has sharply criticised the African Democratic Congress (ADC), declaring the party “dead” as a fresh wave of defections reshaped dynamics in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
The remarks came during plenary shortly after the Senate formally announced the defection of several lawmakers, including Senator Victor Umeh, who moved to the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), citing internal disputes and prolonged legal battles within the ADC.
Akpabio’s comments drew attention in the chamber as he reacted to the repeated announcements of lawmakers switching parties.
“Resignation from ADC and declaration for Labour Party? Maybe all those defecting from ADC should compile everything in one paper and bring it, so that we don’t keep announcing, announcing, announcing. Because I think ADC is dead.”
Godswill Akpabio
He added, “So that it doesn’t look like a daily ritual. If you are defecting from Labour, you write all of you. If you are moving from ADC, you write all of you. If you are entering NDC, you write all of you.”
The latest developments come amid ongoing political realignments within the National Assembly, with the ADC facing increasing losses to rival parties, particularly the NDC, as lawmakers cite internal divisions and instability within their former platform.
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