Seventeen members of the House of Representatives of Nigeria have announced their defection from their respective political parties, further reshaping the political landscape of the 10th National Assembly.
The notices of defection were formally read during plenary sessions on March 11 and 12, 2026, with the lawmakers citing leadership crises and internal divisions within the parties under which they were originally elected.
The latest wave of cross-carpeting has raised the total number of defections in the 10th Assembly to 91 since July 2024.
A significant outcome of the development is the loss of the final seat held by the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in the Green Chamber, effectively leaving the party without representation in the current Assembly. In contrast, the Accord Party (AP) secured its first seat in the House last week following one of the defections.
Seats Gained by Parties (Since July 2024):
-
All Progressives Congress (APC): 83 seats
-
African Democratic Congress (ADC): 6 seats
-
All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA): 1 seat
-
Accord Party (AP): 1 seat
Seats Lost by Parties (Since July 2024):
-
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP): 61 seats
-
Labour Party (LP): 20 seats
-
New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP): 5 seats
-
Young Progressives Party (YPP): 3 seats
-
African Democratic Congress (ADC): 1 seat
-
All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA): 1 seat
Despite the recent realignments, eight political parties remain represented in the House. Notably, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) are the only parties that have not lost any seats through defection since the beginning of the current Assembly.
Observers say the continued wave of defections reflects the shifting political dynamics within the legislature, as lawmakers adjust their affiliations in response to internal developments within their parties and the broader political environment.
