The foundation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues to crumble as four more lawmakers from Kaduna and Bauchi States have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), joining a growing number of defectors who cite deep divisions and a lack of direction within the party as their reason for abandoning the platform.
The latest defections come barely 24 hours after former PDP National Secretary, Sunday Udeh-Okoye, along with prominent House of Representatives member Sadiq Abdullahi, resigned from the opposition party.
On Tuesday, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah also dumped the PDP, bringing his cabinet along to the APC, which already controls over 20 states across the country.
Like others before them, the three Kaduna lawmakers, Aliyu Abdullahi, Abdulkareem Ahmed, and Sadiq Abdullahi, said their decision reflected the will of their constituents, who, according to them, have grown disillusioned with the PDP’s internal conflicts and leadership vacuum.
“Our people deserve better, a political platform that is stable, forward-looking, and responsive to the real needs of Nigerians,” one of the defectors said, describing the PDP as “a shadow of its former self.”
Their defections were formalised during Tuesday’s plenary session of the House of Representatives, where Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu read their letters while presiding over the session, in the presence of Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani.
Meanwhile, Senator Samalia Kaila, representing Bauchi North Senatorial District, in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, said his decision was driven by confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s bold and transformative reform agenda.
“I can no longer operate under a party that thrives on crisis and factionalism,” the senator declared.
“The divisions in the PDP have made it impossible to deliver on the mandate of the people of Bauchi North.”
However, the defections were not without resistance, particularly in the House of Representatives, where PDP Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda opposed the Kaduna lawmakers’ move on constitutional grounds.
He argued that internal disagreements do not constitute the kind of division required to justify defection.
“Disagreements within a party do not justify defection,” Chinda insisted, urging the House to reject their notices.
But Deputy Speaker Kalu ruled otherwise, stating that no member can be compelled to remain in a political party they no longer identify with.
“Freedom of association is a fundamental right,” he maintained, effectively endorsing the defections.
With Kaila’s defection, the APC’s strength in the Senate has risen to 74 seats, further solidifying its two-thirds majority and legislative dominance.
The latest wave of defections, particularly from PDP strongholds in the North-West—signals shifting political alliances as lawmakers reposition ahead of the next general elections.
These mass defections add to the PDP’s growing troubles, following months of internal crises and high-profile exits among governors, lawmakers, and senior officials across several states.
For now, the ruling APC appears to be tightening its grip on Nigeria’s political landscape—even as opposition voices warn that continued defections could erode democratic accountability.
