ABUJA, Nigeria — Five members of Nigeria’s House of Representatives defected from the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party on Thursday, May 7, 2026.
Okay News reports that Nigeria’s Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, read the letters of defection from the lawmakers during a plenary session in Abuja.
Muhammed El-Rufai, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency and is the son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, moved from the All Progressives Congress to the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
Joshua Obika, representing Abaji/Gwagwalada/Kuje/Kwali Federal Constituency of the Federal Capital Territory, also defected from the All Progressives Congress to the Nigeria Democratic Congress. Obika was elected on the platform of the Labour Party in 2023 before joining the All Progressives Congress in March 2026.
Abdulhakeem Kamilu, representing Wudil/Garko Federal Constituency of Kano State, moved from the African Democratic Congress to the Nigeria Democratic Congress. Kamilu was elected to the 10th Assembly on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party before joining the African Democratic Congress earlier in 2026.
Two lawmakers from Kaduna State, Suleiman Richifa and Umar Ajilo, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the African Democratic Congress. The lawmakers stated the decision was due to the “lingering crisis within the PDP at both the state and national levels.”
The moves occurred days after 17 other lawmakers reportedly aligned with the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
