By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday welcomed three more lawmakers from the House of Representatives, further solidifying its dominance in the 10th National Assembly.
Those who defected include Hon. Oluwole Oke from Osun State, who abandoned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and two Kano lawmakers, Hon. Kabiru Hassan Rumrum and Hon. Sani Abdullahi, who both dumped the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Their formal declaration was made during Thursday’s plenary session and was acknowledged by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen.
In a brief address, Hon. Rumrum explained that his decision to return to the APC stemmed from the need to align with the party that “best represents the yearnings of his people and offers a more stable platform for development.” His resignation from the NNPP had earlier been made public during a courtesy visit to the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Hon. Oke, a long-serving PDP legislator from Osun, also confirmed his decision to exit the opposition, stating that “current political realities demand strategic alignment with the center for the sake of my constituency.”
With Thursday’s development, at least 30 lawmakers have now switched parties since the inauguration of the current Assembly. Out of these, 27 have pitched their tents with the APC, mainly from the PDP, Labour Party, African Democratic Congress (ADC), and NNPP.
Observers say the growing number of defections may further tilt the legislative balance in favor of the APC, strengthening its hand in pushing executive bills and policies.
A political analyst, Abdullahi Musa, described the trend as “a calculated move by many lawmakers to secure relevance and resources for their re-election ambitions.”
While the opposition parties are yet to release official reactions, concerns are mounting about internal fractures and weak party discipline within their ranks.
The defection trend reflects ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections and may signal further instability within opposition parties already grappling with leadership crises.