Fresh political realignments swept through the House of Representatives on Thursday as several lawmakers dumped their parties for new platforms amid growing tensions ahead of the 2027 elections.
The shake-up also saw Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda resign from his leadership position after emerging as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State.
Chinda, in a resignation letter dated April 23, 2026, appreciated opposition lawmakers for the opportunity to serve as Minority Leader and contribute to legislative activities in the House.
His exit leaves Deputy Minority Whip George Ozodinobi as the only opposition principal officer currently in office.
Among the lawmakers who changed parties was Alex Egbona from Cross River State, who moved from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing divisions within the APC structure in the state.
Esosa Iyawe from Edo State defected to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), marking his third political switch within three weeks after previously moving from the Labour Party (LP) to the APC.
Jonathan Gaza Gbewfi left the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the Labour Party, while Sani Lawal resigned from the APC without disclosing his new political destination.
Also, Shehu Dalhat Tafoki defected from the APC to the PDP.
The PDP equally lost several lawmakers to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), including Adebayo Adepoju, Stanley Olajide, Ojo Sunday Makanjuola, Najeem Oyedeji, Folajimi Oyekunle, Abbas Adigun from Oyo State, alongside Auwalu Gwalabe from Bauchi State.
In another move, Benedict Etenabene dumped the Labour Party for the PDP.
Speaker Abbas Tajudeen read the defection letters during plenary as lawmakers blamed unresolved internal disputes, leadership crises, and alleged imposition of candidates for their decisions.
Etenabene accused the Labour Party leadership of dissolving elected party executives and attempting to impose a presidential candidate while allegedly backing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Meanwhile, Gbewfi has already secured the Labour Party governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 election.
