The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday consolidated its dominance in the House of Representatives following the defection of five lawmakers from Enugu State and one from Plateau State to the party.
The mass defection, which took place during Thursday’s plenary in Abuja, saw the APC’s strength in the lower chamber rise to 243 members, giving it a commanding two-thirds majority. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) now holds 72 seats, while the Labour Party (LP) has 21. The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) retain 15 and five members, respectively. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has two, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Young Progressives Party (YPP) have one member each.
With the development, all eight federal constituencies in Enugu State are now represented by APC lawmakers.
Among the defectors were Dennis Agbo, Mark Obetta, and Nnaji, who previously represented the PDP, as well as Paul Nnamchi, Chimaobi Atu, and Sunday Umeha, who had earlier left the Labour Party. Also joining the APC was Daniel Asama, representing the Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency of Plateau State, who defected from the LP.
The defections were witnessed by Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, and the APC National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, on the floor of the House.
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Speaking on behalf of the defecting lawmakers, Nnaji, who represents Nkanu East/Nkanu West Federal Constituency, said the move was driven by a shared vision to align with Governor Mbah’s developmental agenda and bring Enugu closer to national leadership.
“This is not just a political move; it is a bold step into the future,” Nnaji said. “For too long, Enugu State has remained in opposition, watching from the sidelines. That era is over. We refuse to remain spectators when we can be key players in Nigeria’s progress.”
He added that aligning with the APC would attract more infrastructure, jobs, and empowerment opportunities to the state, commending Governor Mbah for transforming Enugu into a model of good governance.
“With this defection, we open the gates of a new dawn, a dawn of hope, inclusion, and prosperity,” Nnaji declared.
