Call it political exigencies or opportunism, the All Progressives Congress, APC’s National Assembly representation has seen a sharp increase, soaring to an unprecedented 265 seats in May 2025.
The increase was driven by an exodus of opposition members defecting to the ruling party.
The wave of defections has seen prominent figures from opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), cross over to the APC.
This has effectively boosted APC’s National Assembly representation.
Analysts attribute this political realignment to President Bola Tinubu’s calculated efforts to consolidate power.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that in 2023 when the 10th Assembly was sworn in, the APC controlled 59 seats in the Senate and 175 in the House of Representatives, totalling 234 seats.
However, since July 2023, APC’s National Assembly representation began to surge as a steady wave of defections has eroded the opposition’s numerical strength.
It was gathered that since 2023, a total of 30 lawmakers, comprising six senators and 24 House members, have dumped the opposition parties and defected to the ruling APC.
Of the six senators, four were from the PDP, while the remaining two were from the LP and NNPP.
Among the 24 representatives, 16 were from the PDP, five from the LP, and three from the NNPP.
Overall, the APC’s National Assembly representation has now increased to 265 seats across the two chambers, while opposition lawmakers have been reduced to 202.
The names of the PDP lawmakers who have switched allegiance to the APC are; Erhriatake Ibori-Suenu (Ethiope Federal Constituency, Delta State), Salisu Koko (Koko-Besse/Maiyama Federal Constituency, Kebbi State), and Amos Magaji (Zango Kataf/Jaba Federal Constituency, Kaduna State).
Others include Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North District), Hon. Jallo Hussaini Mohammed (Igabi Federal Constituency, Kaduna State), Hon. Adamu Tanko (Gurara/Suleja/Tafa Federal Constituency, Niger State), Chris Nkwonta (Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency, Abia State), and Hon. Suleiman Abubakar Gumi (Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency, Zamfara State).
The list also includes Nnamdi Ezechi (Ndokwa/Nkwuani), Jonathan Okodiko (Isoko), Thomas Eriyetomi (Warri), Julius Pondi (Burutu), and Victor Nwokolo (Ika North and South), all in the House of Reps.
The three Kebbi lawmakers, Senators Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), and Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South), who recently joined the APC after meeting with President Tinubu, make up the remaining defections from the PDP.
Defectors from the LP include Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi (Imo East Senatorial District), Hon. Esosa Iyawe (Oredo Federal Constituency, Edo State), Chinedu Okere (Owerri Municipal/Owerri North/Owerri West Federal Constituency), Mathew Donatus (Kaura Federal Constituency, Kaduna State), and Akiba Bassey (Calabar Municipal/Odukpani Federal Constituency, Cross River State).
Those who dumped the NNPP include Hon. Yusuf Galambi (Gwaram Federal Constituency, Jigawa State), Senator Kawu Sumaila, Rep. Kabiru Rurum (Rano/Kibiya/Bunkure), Rep. Abdullahi Sani Rogo (Karaye/Rogo).
