By Peter Onyekachukwu 
PeterOnyekachukwu
In a dramatic twist that has sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s political landscape, seven members of the House of Representatives from Akwa Ibom State on Thursday announced their defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing deepening divisions and unresolved crises within their former parties.
The defectors, six from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and one from the Young Progressives Party (YPP), formally announced their decision through letters read during plenary by Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas.
The lawmakers—Paul Ekpo, Unyime Idem, Martins Etim, Okpolu Ukpong Etteh, Uduak Odudoh, Okon Ime Bassey (all PDP), and Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo (YPP)—declared that the persistent internal wrangling in the PDP at both state and national levels had crippled their ability to serve the people of Akwa Ibom effectively.
“This decision was not made lightly,” one of the defectors reportedly said after plenary. “We have endured for months, hoping for reforms that never came. Our loyalty must be to the people we represent, not a party that is tearing itself apart.”
Their departure from the opposition benches comes barely weeks after Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, also made headlines by defecting to the APC—a move many now see as setting the stage for a broader political realignment in the state.
The House Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, reacted swiftly, condemning the defections and describing them as both disappointing and unconstitutional. He argued that none of the lawmakers had proven the kind of division in the PDP that would legally justify abandoning their mandate under Section 68 (1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution.
“These defections are politically motivated and not backed by law,” Chinda insisted. “I urge Mr. Speaker to declare their seats vacant in line with the Constitution. The mandate belongs to the party, not the individuals.”
The mass defection signals an intensifying political battle ahead of 2027 and raises questions about party cohesion, loyalty, and the evolving power dynamics in Akwa Ibom, a state long considered a PDP stronghold.
Analysts say the developments could reshape the state’s political future and challenge the dominance of the PDP if the crisis is not urgently resolved.