Six members of Nigeria's House of Representatives have officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking a significant political realignment that has granted the ruling party a two-thirds majority in the Green Chamber. The defections, announced during Thursday’s plenary on October 30, 2025, involved five lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing constituencies in Enugu State and one from the Labour Party (LP) representing a constituency in Plateau State.

The Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, formally read the letters of defection to the chamber. The defecting members from Enugu State include Hon. Nnolim John Nnaji (Nkanu East/Nkanu West Federal Constituency), Rep. Anayo Onwuegbu (Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency), Rep. Oke Martins (Igbo Etiti/Uzo Uwani Federal Constituency), Rep. Obetta Mark Chidiebere (Nsukka/Igboeze South Federal Constituency), and Hon. Dennis Nnamdi Agbo (Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency). They were joined by Hon. Daniel Asama (also referred to as Daniel Ago), representing Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency in Plateau State.

Immediately after the announcement, the lawmakers held a press conference at the National Assembly complex, where they articulated their reasons for the switch. Speaking on behalf of the group, Nnolim Nnaji described their defection as a “bold step into the future,” driven by a collective decision to align with the visionary leadership of Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, and the national direction of the APC. “Today, we stand before you filled with joy, conviction, and purpose. With your blessing, and in line with our collective decision to stand firmly with our visionary Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, we have today, 30 October 2025, during plenary at the House of Representatives, formally announced our defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC),” Nnaji stated.

The lawmakers cited various motivations, including the need to reposition Enugu State for greater political and developmental inclusion at the national level. Nnaji emphasized, “For too long, our dear Enugu State has remained in opposition, watching from the sidelines as others shaped the destiny of our nation and accessed opportunities that could have transformed our people’s lives. That era is over. We refuse to remain spectators when we can be key players in Nigeria’s progress.” They also pointed to unresolved internal crises, protracted and irreconcilable differences within their former parties as contributing factors to their decision.

Aligning with the APC, which they termed “the party steering national transformation,” is expected to open doors for increased infrastructural development, investment, and empowerment for the people of Enugu State. Nnaji lauded Governor Mbah's “transformational leadership,” noting that his administration has made Enugu State a model of effective governance in just two years, particularly in education, aviation, science, information technology, and other critical sectors.

The defections follow Governor Peter Mbah’s own move to the APC on October 14, 2025, after months of speculation. His presence, alongside APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, in the chamber during the announcement underscored the significance of the event. This development marks a concerted effort by the APC to strengthen its presence and expand its political base, especially in the South-east, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

With these latest defections, the APC’s membership in the House of Representatives now stands at 243, surpassing the 240 members required for a two-thirds majority in the 360-member House. This significant numerical strength allows the ruling party to take overriding decisions and pass resolutions without requiring input from opposition parties. Conversely, the PDP's membership has depleted to 74, while the LP stands at 21, NNPP at 15, APGA at 5, ADC at 1, SDP at 2, and YPP at 1.

This ongoing wave of defections highlights a broader political realignment across the country, as lawmakers position themselves for future electoral contests. Nnaji concluded by describing the defection as the beginning of “a new dawn of hope, inclusion, and prosperity” for Enugu State, stressing that politics should serve as a tool for service, not division. The development also brings renewed attention to Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which permits a lawmaker to defect if there is a division within their current party.