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Key politicians who have defected to APC since January 2025

As President Bola Tinubu marks two years in office this May, the political landscape is tilting further in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), with a steady stream of defections from opposition parties into the president’s camp, a trend that has accelerated in 2025 and may reshape the contest ahead of the 2027 elections.

The APC took over power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015 and has since maintained its grip on the nation’s leadership.

In this report, The ICIR presents major politicians from the opposition parties who have defected to the APC.

Oborevwori and Okowa

Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori led the entire structure of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to defect to the APC on Wednesday, April 23.

His predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, was among the defectors.

Sheriff Oborevwori
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori

Okowa was the running mate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 poll.

Their defection caused a stir among political watchers nationwide.

Kawu Samaila

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In April, Kawu Samaila, the senator representing Kano South, confirmed his defection from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the APC.

He wrote, “Yes, it is true — the rumours regarding my defection are accurate. All politics is local, and my primary concern has always been, and remains, the welfare of my immediate constituency.”

Ned Nwoko

In January, the senator representing Delta North, Ned Nwoko, dumped the PDP for the APC.

Nwoko had been a longtime member of the PDP.

Shehu Sani

In February, former Kaduna Senator and activist Shehu Sani dumped the PDP for the APC.

File picture of former senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani

He said his priority was to help the state governor, Uba Sani, win a second term.

He later revealed his intention to vie for the Kaduna Central Senatorial District on the APC’s platform in the coming election.

Three Kebbi senators

All three PDP senators from Kebbi State, Adamu Aliero, Yahaya Abubakar Abdullahi, and Garba Maidoki, have all joined the APC.

They first announced their intention to join the party after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Friday, May 9, at the Presidential Villa.

Three Katsina Reps 

On Thursday, May 8, three members of the House of Representatives from Katsina State defected from the PDP to the APC.

The lawmakers are Abubakar Aliyu, Yusuf Majigiri, and Abdullahi Balarabe.

Their notices of defection were read by the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, during plenary.

The lawmakers who defected in the presence of the Katsina State governor, Diko Radda, claimed their defection was due to the internal crisis in the PDP.

Another three members of the opposition in the House of Representatives joined the APC on Thursday, May 15.

The lawmakers are Kabiru Hassan Rumrum from NNPP (Kano State), Oluwole Oke from PDP (Osun State), and Sani Abdullahi from NNPP (Kano State).



No problem with Nigeria becoming one-party state – APC chairman

Speaking on the gale of defection to his party and concerns that the nation was transforming into a one-party state, the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, said there was nothing wrong with Nigeria evolving into a one-party state, provided it reflected the will of the people.

Ganduje made the remarks at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, shortly after leading the three senators from Kebbi State to meet Tinubu.




     

     

    Alleged Bribery: Court sets date for hearing Ganduje, others' case
    APC chairman and former governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Umaru Ganduje

    “One party’s state is by negotiation, and it is by other political parties seeing the effect of the positive governance of our party. If they decide to come to our party willingly, I think there is nothing wrong with that.”

    The ICIR reports that the defections to the ruling party appear to have slowed down the coalition talks being led by Atiku Abubakar and former governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai.

    However, Abubakar said the APC and other party members were in the coalition to unseat Tinubu in 2027.

    The ICIR reports that as of May 13, 2025, the composition of the Nigerian Senate is as follows:

    • APC: 68 seats
    • PDP: 30 seats
    • Labour Party: 5 seats
    • Social Democratic Party (SDP): 2 seats
    • All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA): 1 seat
    • NNPP: 1 seat
    Bankole Abe

    A reporter with the ICIR
    A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance

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    1 COMMENT

    1. I hope there will be any opposition in 2027. This one all politicians are moving to the ruling party.

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