Defections have become a stumbling block to opposition voices in the National Assembly as political experts argue that it may derail the nation?s legislative process.

In recent weeks, opposition members have moved to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), with political watchers anticipating mass defections as the 2027 election nears.

While several senators and members of the House of Representatives have remained tight lipped, legislative insiders suggest that ongoing crises in opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party as well as the shifting political loyalties ahead of the 2027 general elections are forcing legislators to reconsider their affiliations.

Political observers warn that such movement, often driven more by personal ambition than ideological convictions, could disrupt legislative focus, derail reform efforts and weaken public trust in democratic institutions.

Last Tuesday, the House of Representatives witnessed a fresh wave of defections.

Six members from Delta State left the PDP for the APC, led by Nicholas Mutu (Bomadi), a lawmaker who has served in the House since 1999.

Others include: Nnamdi Ezechi (Ndokwa/Nkwuani), Jonathan Okodiko (Isoko), Thomas Eriyetomi (Warri), Julius Pondi (Burutu), and Victor Nwokolo (Ika North and South). From Enugu, Mark Obetta and Dennis Agbo defected from the Labour Party to the PDP.

Barely two days later, Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the House of Reps, read letters from three PDP lawmakers from Katsina State ? Abdullahi Balarabe (Bakori/Danja), Abubakar Albaba Aliyu (Batasari/Safana/Dan-Musa) and Yusuf Majigiri (Mashi/Dutsi) ? announcing their switch to the APC, citing unresolved internal party crises.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, defections are also gaining momentum.

Earlier in February, Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North) had left the PDP for the APC, blaming persistent internal rifts in the opposition party.

Last Tuesday, Senator Sumaila Kawu (Kano South) defected from the NNPP to the APC, citing legal battles and party dysfunction.

On Friday, three senators from Kebbi State ? Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), and Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South) ? announced their defection after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at Aso Rock.

Senator Garba Maidoki, speaking last week on the crisis within the PDP, expressed frustration with the party?s lack of structure and unity.

He said, ?It?s quite unfortunate. Our governors, who are supposed to be stabilising factors, seem to have folded their arms. Some of us senators are struggling to hold the party together with limited resources. If nothing is done soon, the PDP might not survive.?

He added, ?This isn?t about my personal ambition, it?s about what?s best for Nigeria. I?m not thinking of the next election. I?m thinking about what I can deliver before the next election.?

According to Maidoki, Nigeria?s political system suffers from short-term thinking and personal interests overriding national development. ?If we can?t trust lawmakers to stay with a party that brought them to office, how can we trust them to fulfill their campaign promises??

Civil society voices

Civil society voices have echoed similar concerns.

They warn that the trend is undermining democratic stability, eroding public trust, and exposing the weakness of Nigeria?s political institutions.

Gimba Suleiman Hassan, senior programme officer at the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), described the development as ?troubling but not surprising,? noting that many Nigerian politicians are driven by personal ambition rather than public service.

?We operate in a political ecosystem largely dominated by individuals seeking personal gain, not public service,? he said. ?Many of the so-called lawmakers are simply looking for the next buffet table to eat from or the next godfather to please. They are not legislators in the true sense of the word?they are political jobbers driven by ambition and access to power.?

Hassan criticised the recent Supreme Court ruling involving defected lawmakers in Rivers State, saying it undermines the very constitutional principles that ought to guide political conduct.

?The constitutional provision?Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)?is very clear,? he explained. ?If you defect from the party that sponsored your election, you must vacate your seat unless there is a division in that party. But the Supreme Court?s decision is a complete betrayal of that principle. It sends a dangerous signal that the judiciary is either unwilling or unable to uphold the Constitution when political expediency is involved.?

In response to what it called a ?culture of political prostitution,? CISLAC is advocating for a bold constitutional amendment to discourage opportunistic defections.

?We strongly support a constitutional amendment that will bar any defecting lawmaker or elected official from contesting in any election or holding public office?whether elective or appointive?for at least two years,? Hassan said. ?The only exception should be where a party merger, not personal ambition, is involved.?

He also drew attention to how defections have become a tactic for avoiding accountability, especially when politicians join the ruling party to shield themselves from prosecution.

?This culture of impunity is further demonstrated in how defections are often used to evade prosecution,? he said. ?It tells you everything about how corruption has been deeply institutionalised in our political system. Anti-corruption efforts are clearly selective?mostly targeting opposition figures and low-level internet fraudsters. Yet Yahaya Bello, despite being declared wanted by the EFCC and seen publicly within Nigeria, remains untouched. This is not a justice system?it is a protection racket disguised as governance.?

To strengthen Nigeria?s democratic institutions, Hassan called for enhanced financial and administrative independence for anti-corruption agencies.

Similarly, Jennifer Dawfat, programme manager at Yiaga Africa, said the defections are being driven by lawmakers? personal ambitions as they weigh their chances ahead of the 2027 general elections.

?What we?re seeing is a matter of ambition,? she said. ?Many of these politicians are already positioning themselves for 2027, not necessarily thinking about the people who elected them.?

Dawfat noted that such actions reflect a deeper problem with the country?s leadership and political values.

?If we have a crop of leaders who concern themselves more with what they stand to gain, as opposed to how best a democracy should function, then we begin to have issues,? she warned. ?The interest of citizens now comes second place?or maybe even third?behind the interests of politicians and their parties.?

She urged constituents to ask critical questions of their representatives. ?These lawmakers represent constituencies, real people, and those people have the right to demand accountability. It?s not just about the party?they are supposed to represent the interests of the people first.?

Dawfat pointed to the Political Parties Bill (HB 1862), currently before the National Assembly, as a potential reform path. Sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, the bill aims to strengthen internal democracy and accountability in political parties.

?This is a good time to start asking questions, not just about defections, but about how political parties operate,? she said. ?Yiaga Africa is supporting this bill because we understand that political parties are the foundation of our democracy. We don?t have independent candidates in Nigeria, so if the parties are weak or lack ideology, then the leaders they produce will be weak too.?

Both CISLAC and Yiaga Africa are calling for urgent constitutional, legal, and institutional reforms to restore integrity to Nigeria?s political system.

Femi Falana, a renowned constitutional lawyer, recently called the mass defections unconstitutional, arguing that any lawmaker intending to defect must first resign from the party that sponsored their election.

He cited the 2022 federal high court ruling that sacked 20 legislators in Cross River State for similar actions. (BusinessDay)

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