The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has emerged as the leading minority party in the Senate following a wave of defections by lawmakers from other political parties.
The development comes after nine senators switched allegiance to the ADC, significantly altering the balance of opposition in the National Assembly, while the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, saw its numbers decline sharply.
At the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June 2023, the PDP held 36 Senate seats. However, recent defections have reduced its presence, with the All Progressives Congress, APC, now holding 87 seats, ADC nine, PDP six, while Accord, APGA, NDC and NNPP have one seat each.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is expected to conduct fresh elections to fill three vacant Senate seats in Nasarawa North, Enugu North and Rivers South East, following the deaths of the lawmakers who previously occupied them.
In their letters to Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the defecting senators cited internal party crises, leadership disputes and the need to strengthen democratic processes as reasons for their decision.
Similarly, the House of Representatives has witnessed fresh defections, with 12 lawmakers leaving their parties for new political platforms, further reshaping the composition of the Green Chamber.
Among those who moved from the Labour Party to the ADC are Victor Afam Ogene, Peter Aniekwe and Lilian Orogbu, all representing constituencies in Anambra State. Others include Jesse Okey Joe Onuakalusi from Lagos State and Murphy Omoruyi from Edo State.
Peter Uzokwe, representing Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency, also joined the ADC from the Young Progressives Party.
In contrast, several lawmakers defected from the PDP to the APC, including Zakaria Dauda Nyampa, Midala Balami and Mohammed Bargaja, while others such as James Shaibu Barka, Bitrus Kwamoti Laori and Kobis Thimnu also aligned with the ruling party.
Despite the defections, the PDP remains the leading opposition party in the House of Representatives, although its strength has diminished significantly. The APC currently holds about 268 seats, while the ADC has increased its representation from one to seven members.
The PDP, which once had about 115 members in the House, has seen its numbers drop to 49, while both the Labour Party and the NNPP now have 14 members each.
Across both chambers of the National Assembly, the PDP is estimated to have lost over 100 lawmakers to the APC, ADC and other parties since 2023.
Political analysts have offered differing perspectives on the implications of the ADC’s rise.
Public affairs analyst, Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, dismissed the ADC as a non functional political platform, arguing that many high profile politicians associated with the party are not officially registered members.
“The government that is in place now has shown that the tactics they want to use to continue to be in office is to blackmail or undermine any opposition.
“Everybody who is in office now, governors and members of the National Assembly, were elected in 2023. Now their decision to leave the PDP does not have any bearing on the party,” he said.
Pearse also argued that the current composition of the National Assembly reflects broader systemic issues, describing it as ineffective regardless of party affiliations.
On his part, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Coalition of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, James Ezema, said the PDP is undergoing a transformation that could cost it its position as the main opposition party.
“You remember that PDP was actually having this notion of becoming a dominant party for 60 years when suddenly the party’s dominance ended, it could not hold its house together,” he said.
He added that if the ADC successfully manages its internal challenges, it could emerge as a formidable opposition force ahead of the 2027 elections.
“If the ADC succeeds in not allowing the current crisis that is now erupting within the party, if they succeed in not allowing it to divide the party, they will become a strong opposition party,” he stated.
Ezema, however, cautioned that internal divisions could weaken the ADC just as they have affected other parties, warning that failure to maintain unity could result in a one party dominance scenario in Nigeria.
Political observers note that the coming months will be critical in determining whether the ADC can consolidate its gains and establish itself as a viable opposition platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
