From 178 members at inauguration of the 10th National Assembly on June 13, 2023, the membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has risen to 205 following a raft of defections from opposition parties.
The latest defection was recorded at plenary yesterday when the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) lost two of its representatives from kano to the APC.
The House members are: Abdullahi Sani Rogo and Kabiru Alhassan Rurum from Rano/Bunkure/Kibiya and Karaye/Rogo Federal Constituencies.
Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun State Representatives, Mr. Wole Oke, who last month resigned from the PDP, announced his defection to the APC.
Oke is a ranking member of the House.
They were received by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, who announced the defections as chairman at the plenary.
With its 205 members, the APC is now has a comfortable majority in the Green Chamber, leaving the seven opposition parties with a combine total membership of 155.
The NNPP which had 19 representatives at inauguration about two years ago now has 16 members with fear of defection still hovering over the opposition parties.
The main opposition party, which began its journey in the 10th House of Representatives with 113 members, is left with 37 lawmakers in the House of Representatives.
As of the last count, 30 members have changed their political platforms since the inauguration of the 10th Assembly.
The ruling APC harvested 27 of the defectors from the PDP, Labour Party (LP), Alliance for Democratic Congress (ADC) and the NNPP.
The remaining 155 opposition members are spread across seven political parties. Five of the seats are vacant. They are in Edo, Oyo, Ogun Kaduna and Jigawa states.
Four seats became vacant as a result of the deaths of the elected representatives. Denis Idahosa resigned his membership following his election as Edo State Deputy Governor.
The deceased lawmakers are: Isa Dogonyaro (Garki/Babura Federal Constituency of Jigawa State), Ekene Abubakar Adams (Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency of Kaduna state), Olaide Akinremi (Ibadan North Federal Constituency of Oyo state) and Oriyomi Adewunmi Onanuga (Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency of Ogun State).
The Nation
