The All Progressives Congress (APC) needs three more members to clinch 2/3 majority in the House of Representatives.
Of the 360 seats in the green chamber, the APC climbed to 237 following the defection of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker from Benue State, Hon. Ojema Ojotu, into the ruling party.
Daily Trust reports that only last week, three members of the PDP from Kaduna State crossed over to the ruling party.
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The defection of the lone PDP lawmaker from Benue has further increased the ranks of the ruling APC in the Green Chamber whose membership now stands at 237 and PDP, 79.
The LP has 22; NNPP, 15, APGA, 5, ADC 1, SDP 2 and YPP 1.
With the anticipated defections of Enugu lawmakers in the House following the recent defection of Governor Peter Mbah, the APC would most likely constitute more than a 2/3 majority in the House in the days ahead.
At inception of the 10th National Assembly in June 2023, the membership of the the House of Representatives was APC,175; PDP, 118; LP, 35, NNPP; 19, APGA, 5, ADC, 2, SDP, 2 and YPP 1 while 3 of the seats were vacant.
Cumulatively, the opposition parties had 182 members which was higher than the ruling party’s 175.
In his letter of defection read by Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who presided over the plenary, the defecting lawmaker cited the lingering internal crisis within the PDP as the major reason for leaving the party.
“I wish to formally notify the Honourable Speaker and my esteemed colleagues of my decision to resign my membership of the People’s Democratic Party with effect from Wednesday, 8 October 2025.
“This decision has become necessary due to the persistent internal crisis, unresolved leadership tussle, and deep divisions within the party from the national to the federal constituency, giving the party a rudderless direction.
“After wide consultations with my family, key stakeholders, political associates and the good people of my constituency, I have decided to align with the All Progressive Congress, APC, a platform which I believe offers a more stable and progressive environment, continuously serving the interests of my people and contributing to national development.
“Accordingly, I kindly request this letter be read on the floor of the House, my new political affiliation be duly reflected in the records of the House”, his letter read.
However, Deputy Minority Leader, Aliyu Madaki (NNPP, Kano), objected to the defection and urged the presiding officer to declare the seat of the lawmaker vacant in line with Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which provides for loss of seat when a lawmaker defects from the party that sponsored his election without a division in that party.
But the Deputy Leader of the House, Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims (APC, Kogi) coming under a point of order, countered Madaki, saying, the constitution allows those elected on a party’s platform to defect whenever there is an irreconcilable crisis within such a party on whose platform they were elected.
“The person so far concerned can decide to leave that party to sustain his own future”, he said.
