The House of Representatives witnessed another round of defections on Tuesday as 13 lawmakers officially announced their exit from their respective political parties during plenary.
The lawmakers cited internal crises, leadership disagreements and the need to better represent their constituents as reasons for their decisions.
Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, read letters from the affected members informing the chamber of their defections and the motivations behind them.
Among those who changed parties was Gaza, who left the Social Democratic Party for the Labour Party, with the move taking effect in May 2026.
Similarly, Alex Ehnona defected from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party, assuring colleagues that his dedication to legislative duties remained unchanged.
In Edo State, Esosa Iyawo announced a switch from the APC to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, citing unresolved disputes and dissatisfaction within the APC structure in the state.
Iyawo also withdrew an earlier correspondence submitted to the House and reaffirmed his commitment to democratic values.
Also departing the APC were Sani Lawal and Shehu Tafoki, who said their decisions were informed by the desire to better serve their constituents. Tafoki moved to the PDP.
The House also recorded a major shift in Oyo State, where six lawmakers — Adebayo Adepoju, Adedeji Stanley Olajide, Ojo Sunday, Najeem Oyedeji, Folajimi Oyekunle and Abbas Adigun — left the PDP for the Allied Peoples Movement.
The lawmakers attributed their exit to persistent leadership disputes, internal divisions and unresolved conflicts within the PDP, stating that consultations with constituents and political stakeholders influenced their decision.
Meanwhile, Etanebene Benedict moved from the Labour Party to the PDP, citing the dissolution of the party’s executive structure and what he described as growing uncertainty within the party.
He also alleged that several Labour Party leaders had openly aligned with President Bola Tinubu, making it difficult for him to remain in the party.
Also, Auwalu Gwalabe announced his defection from the PDP to the Allied Peoples Movement.
In a related development, former House Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, formally resigned from his leadership position following his defection from the PDP to the APC.
Chinda, who recently emerged as the APC governorship candidate for Rivers State ahead of the 2027 election, informed the House of his decision, ending his tenure as leader of the opposition caucus.