ABUJA, Nigeria — Three members of the House of Representatives from Katsina State formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday, May 8, 2025, citing unresolved internal crises within the opposition party.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read the letters of defection from the lawmakers—Abdullahi Balarabe (Bakori/Danja), Abubakar Albaba Aliyu (Batasari/Safana/Dan-Musa), and Yusuf Majigiri (Mashi/Dutsi)—during plenary.
Balarabe said he was “compelled to seek a more stable platform” due to the PDP’s “protracted crisis,” while Aliyu cited “lack of cohesiveness” as his reason for leaving.
Majigiri described the PDP’s internal challenges as a “high level of crisis without cure.”
Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda and APC State Chairman Muhammad Ali were present in the chamber to witness the high-profile defections, signaling a strategic consolidation of the party’s grip on the state’s federal representation.
Thursday’s defections are the latest in a growing wave of political realignments in the House of Representatives, where the APC continues to benefit from widespread disaffection within opposition ranks.
Over the past six months, the ruling party has welcomed more than a dozen lawmakers from the PDP, Labour Party (LP), and Young Progressives Party (YPP).
Notable recent defectors include:
-
Victor Nwokolo (Delta), Julius Pondi (Delta), Thomas Ereyitomi (Delta), Nicholas Mutu (Delta), Ukodhiko Jonathan (Delta), and Ezechi Nnamdi (Delta) — all from PDP to APC.
-
Obetta Chidi and Dennis Agbo (Enugu) — from LP to PDP.
-
Chris Nkwonta (Abia), Sulaiman Abubakar (Zamfara), Amos Magaji (Kaduna), Garba Koko (Kebbi), Jallo Mohammed (Kaduna), and Adamu Tanko (Niger) — all from PDP to APC.
-
Clara Nnabuife (Anambra) — from YPP to APGA.
