On Thursday, the House of Representatives chamber was the scene of a significant political shift as two prominent lawmakers from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). This high-profile event drew the presence of several key APC stalwarts, underscoring its importance. Among those in attendance were the national chairman of the APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibril Barau; the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; and Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. Their collective presence signaled strong party support for the incoming members.

The two lawmakers who made the switch were Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, representing the Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency of Kano State, and Hon. Sagir Koki, who represents the Kano Municipal federal constituency. Both legislators formally announced their departure from the NNPP in separate letters. These letters were read aloud by the Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, during the proceedings.

In their respective communications, Hon. Jibrin and Hon. Koki clearly articulated their reasons for joining the APC. They cited deeply rooted and unresolved crises, as well as significant internal divisions within their former party, the NNPP, as the primary motivators for their defection. The proceedings, however, were not without opposition. Throughout the reading of the defection letters and the subsequent reception of the new APC members, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, the minority leader of the House, consistently attempted to raise points of order. Despite his persistent efforts, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen did not acknowledge or recognize his points of order, allowing the defection process to continue uninterrupted.