2027: Citing crises, 19 NASS members defect to NDC
By Clifford Ndujihe, Henry Umoru & Gift Odekina
ABUJA—The reinvigorated Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, yesterday, reaped no fewer than 20 defectors and became the fourth force in the National Assembly.
Currently, it has overtaken the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in the House of Representatives and is pursuing the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, closely, in terms of National Assembly slots. The All Progressives Congress, APC, is leading all the opposition parties with a very wide gap.
In the Senate, yesterday, former Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Abia South, dumped the ADC for Labour Party, LP.
Also Senator Victor Umeh, Anambra Central, defected from the ADC to NDC, while the Senate Minority Whip, Senator Rufai Hanga, Kano Central, joined NDC from the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP.
Defections of Umeh and Hanga, increased the number of serving Senators on NDC’s platform from one to three, including the founder, Senator Seriake Dickson, Bayelsa West, who defected to it on March 31. The latest wave of defections has made the current configuration of the 109-member Senate to be APC-88, ADC-8, PDP-4, NDC-3, APGA-1, Accord-1, and Vacant-4.
The four vacant seats are those of Enugu North, Nasarawa North, Rivers South-East and Ondo South due to three deaths and one resignation following ambassadorial appointment.
In the House of Representatives, no fewer than 18 lawmakers formally announced their exit from the ADC. While 17 joined the NDC, one went to the APC during plenary, citing internal crises within their former party.
The move leaves the APC with 260 Reps, PDP-38, LP 21, NDC-17, NNPP-14, APGA-5, and others-4. The figures are changing rapidly and may continue to vary until May 10, when parties are expected to submit their membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The defectors, who cut across Kano, Anambra, Lagos, Edo and Rivers states, read separate letters on the floor of the House, attributing their decision to what they described as “unresolved crises from the national to ward levels” in the ADC.
Among those who defected is Yusuf Umar Datti, representing Kura/Madobi/Garun Mallam Federal Constituency of Kano State, who said the lingering instability within the ADC had made it difficult to effectively serve his constituents.
Similarly, Harris Okonkwo, who represents Idemili North/Idemili South Federal Constituency of Anambra State, said the decision was taken after “wide consultations with political stakeholders and constituents.”
Other lawmakers who moved from ADC to NDC include Sani Adamu (Minjibir/Ungogo, Kano); Thaddeus Attah (Eti-Osa, Lagos); Deputy Minority Whip, George Ozodinobi (Njikoka/Anaocha/Dunukofia, Anambra); Lilian Obiageli (Awka North/Awka South, Anambra); and Oluwaseyi Sowunmi (Ojo, Lagos).
Also, among the defectors are Peter Anekwe (Anambra East/West); Zakari Umar Mukhtari (Tarauni, Kano); George Olawande (Amuwo Odofin, Lagos); Murphy Osaro Omoruyi (Egor/Ikpoba-Okha, Edo); Umezuruike Munachim (Port Harcourt I, Rivers); Emeka Idu (Onitsha North/South, Anambra); Jesse Onuakalusi (Oshodi-Isolo, Lagos); Ifeanyi Uzokwe (Nnewi North/South/Ekwusigo, Anambra); Afam Ogene (Ogbaru, Anambra); and Kamilu Ado (Wudil/Garko, Kano).
In a related development, Leke Abejide, representing Yagba Federal Constituency, also announced his defection from the ADC to the APC.
Why and how Abaribe, Umeh, Hanga defected
The two senators in separate letters forwarded to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and read at plenary, hinged their actions on leadership and litigation crises rocking the ADC which according to them, made it precarious for any serious politician to use it as platform for the 2027 general election.
Abaribe said: “My decision to resign my membership of African Democratic Congress, ADC, is effective immediately. Accordingly, I have joined the Labour Party. My decision is anchored on the now well-known leadership crisis within the ADC, occasioned by multiple legal issues besetting the party.”
On his part, Umeh said: “I write to inform you of my decision to defect from African Democratic Congress, to the NDC. I have taken this decision after wide consultations with my family, my constituents, and supporters in view of the lingering divisions in the leadership and unending litigation in the ADC.
‘’I remain committed to making my contributions towards the development of our dear nation, but this time through the NDC.”
Hanga, who cited internal crisis within the NNPP as the reason for his decision, said: “The ongoing internal crisis, characterised by factional leadership disputes, conflicting directives, and irreconcilable differences among key stakeholders, have created an unstable political environment that makes it impracticable to effectively discharge my legislative responsibilities on the party’s platform.
“Furthermore, this decision follows extensive consultation with my constituents, political associates, and key stakeholders. “After careful consideration, I’ve come to the conclusion that the ideals and policy direction of the Nigeria Democratic Congress are more closely aligned with my commitment to effective representation, good governance and the advancement of democratic values. In view of the above, I respectfully request that this letter be accepted by the Senate as a formal notice of my defection to the NDC in accordance with established legislative procedures.”
I think ADC is dead—Akpabio
Speaking at the plenary yesterday, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio declared that the ADC may be dead.
Akpabio said: “Resignation from ADC and declaration for Labour Party. Maybe all those defecting from ADC should just compile everything in one paper and bring, so that we don’t keep announcing, announcing, announcing. Because I think ADC is dead. How many times can you defect in a month? Once. But some have done three times.”
He suggested a compilation of names based on defection choices instead of individual announcement “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. Note that Senator Abaribe has moved from APGA to ADC, and now he has moved from ADC to Labour Party,” he joked.
Lawmakers express concern over party instability
Reacting to the mass defections, some lawmakers expressed concern over the growing trend of political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, noting that party instability remains a recurring factor driving defections in the National Assembly.
The Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over plenary in the House of Representatives, acknowledged the letters and wished the defecting lawmakers well in their new political parties, in line with parliamentary tradition.
ADA disowns Ardo’s fight against NDC’s registration
Meanwhile, the All Democratic Alliance, ADA, has distanced itself from Dr. Umar Ardo’s faulting of the INEC’s registration of the NDC and vowed to go to court.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Leye Igbabo, the ADA said its attention had been drawn to “recent media interviews granted by our respected National Secretary, Dr. Umar Ardo, questioning the registration of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, by INEC.”
He continued: “The National Working Committee of ADA wishes to state categorically that Dr. Ardo spoke in his personal capacity. His views, though strongly held, do not represent the official position of the ADA as a party.
‘’The NDC is today a duly registered political party by INEC and remains the only viable alternative platform currently available to Nigerians, who are thoroughly disillusioned with the ruling party and the crisis-ridden PDP.
“Our party believes in strengthening, not weakening opposition politics and, therefore, calls for restraint.
“For now, ADA has not been fully registered. As democrats, we cannot be seen to be pulling down the only standing opposition house, while we are still building our own. Until we are fully done with our registration, we must not create the impression that we seek to delegitimise platforms that give Nigerians choice.
“While ADA will continue to lawfully engage INEC and the courts to secure our registration, we shall not do so by attacking the legitimacy of other opposition parties. The 2027 election is too important for opposition voices to cannibalise one another.
“We, therefore, wish to assure the NDC that our party bears no ill will. We look forward to robust opposition collaboration post-2027, when hopefully, more platforms including ADA will be on the ballot. The enemy of Nigeria’s democracy is not the NDC. The enemy is one-party rule.”
Vanguard News
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