The political landscape of Nigeria’s Senate witnessed another shake-up on Thursday as nine lawmakers from different political parties formally announced their defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The senators who switched allegiance include Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto South), Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), Binos Yaroe (Adamawa South), Victor Umeh (Anambra Central), Tony Nwoye (Anambra North), Lawal Usman (Kaduna Central), Ogoshi Onawo (Nasarawa South), Austin Akobundu (Abia Central), and Ireti Kingibe (Federal Capital Territory).
Their letters announcing the change of party were read during Thursday’s plenary session by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
Explaining his decision, Nwoye cited the ongoing crisis within the Labour Party as a key factor behind his move.
According to him, persistent internal disputes and multiple court cases have undermined the unity and stability of the party, prompting him to seek a new political platform.
After reading the letters, Akpabio welcomed the lawmakers to their new party but rejected suggestions that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was behind the wave of defections.
He noted that the senators came from different parties—including the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Labour Party, and the Social Democratic Party (SDP)—arguing that the defections were largely due to internal problems within those parties rather than external influence.
The latest moves further highlight the ongoing political realignments within the 10th Senate, where party loyalties have shifted several times amid internal crises in opposition parties.
Despite the changes, the APC continues to maintain a strong majority in the Senate with 87 members. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) now has seven senators, while the ADC’s numbers have risen to seven following the new defections.
Other minority parties represented in the chamber include APGA, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), each with one senator.
With these developments, the current membership of the Senate stands at 106 lawmakers.