Mass Defection: 19 National Assembly Members Join NDC Amid ADC Leadership Crisis

About 19 lawmakers have left their parties to join the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), citing serious leadership disputes and internal upheaval within the African Democratic Congress (ADC). In the Senate, Victor Umeh and Rufai Hanga defected to the NDC, joining Seriake Dickson to bring the party’s total to three seats. Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe also exited the ADC but chose the Labour Party, blaming ongoing crises and court battles. In the House of Representatives, 18 members departed the ADC—17 joined the NDC and one moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Defectors say unresolved tensions “from national level to ward level” made it impossible to work effectively under the ADC banner. The wave of defections shifts the National Assembly’s power balance. Although the APC retains a strong majority, opposition parties are realigning ahead of the 2027 elections. Senate President Godswill Akpabio even quipped that the ADC may have “died” amid the ongoing exodus.

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