16 Reps Dump ADC for NDC Ahead of 2027
Sixteen members of the House of Representatives formally defected from the African Democratic Congress to the Nigerian Democratic Congress on Tuesday, dealing another significant blow to a party already struggling with a protracted internal crisis.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu announced the defections on the floor of the Green Chamber during plenary, with the lawmakers citing “unresolved crises” within the ADC as their reason for leaving.
Those 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.
The ADC has been in the grip of a leadership battle that eventually reached the Supreme Court, which in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel on April 30 restored former Senate President David Mark as the party’s National Chairman, though it stopped short of delivering a final verdict on the underlying dispute and directed parties back to the trial court.
The defections came as parties raced against an INEC deadline of May 10 for submission of membership registers, with leading opposition politicians leaving various parties to ensure they remain eligible for the 2027 ballot.
The mass exit from the House is part of a wider wave of political realignments that has seen prominent figures abandon the ADC. Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso formally defected to the NDC, holding a strategic meeting in Abuja with NDC National Leader Seriake Dickson and other party leaders to consolidate the move.
Obi, in a statement, said his decision followed “deep reflection” on the state of the nation and the need to contribute more effectively to national development, stressing that his exit was not driven by personal ambition. He and Kwankwaso also urged supporters to prioritise national development over litigation and internal disputes.
The defection wave also swept up former Adamawa State governorship candidate Senator Aisha Dahiru, popularly known as Binani, who joined the NDC, saying her decision was driven by consultations with supporters and her belief in the party’s structured, policy-driven governance model.
The NDC’s National Leader Seriake Dickson described the defections as a sign of growing confidence in the party’s vision for inclusive governance and national transformation, while National Chairman Moses Cleopas urged new members to commit to the party’s core values.
The NDC, which is barely four months old, has rapidly become a destination of choice for opposition politicians seeking stability ahead of 2027.