In a significant political development on Thursday, nine senators from various political parties formally announced their defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), signaling further realignment within Nigeria’s 10th Senate.

The lawmakers who joined the ADC include Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto South), Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), Binos Yaroe (Adamawa South), Victor Umeh (Anambra Central), Tony Nwoye (Anambra North), Lawal Usman (Kaduna Central), Ogoshi Onawo (Nasarawa South), Austin Akobundu (Abia Central), and Ireti Kingibe (Federal Capital Territory).

Their letters of defection were formally read on the floor of the Senate during Thursday’s plenary session by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. In his letter, Senator Nwoye cited internal crises within the Labour Party as the reason for his decision, highlighting ongoing litigations that have affected the party’s cohesion and stability.

Reacting to the defections, Akpabio welcomed the lawmakers to their new platform but dismissed claims that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) orchestrated the wave of defections. He emphasized that the senators came from multiple parties, including APGA, Labour, and SDP, and stressed that the APC should not be blamed for internal disputes within opposition parties.

“These lawmakers are ensuring the presence of a robust minority bloc in this chamber, and I am very proud of their resolve,” Akpabio said.

The latest defections underscore the ongoing political realignments in the 10th Senate, where frequent party switches have become a notable trend amid internal disputes among opposition parties.

Following Thursday’s realignment, the APC continues to maintain a dominant majority with 87 senators, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been reduced to seven members. The ADC, strengthened by the latest defections, now has seven senators. Other minority parties, including the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), and National Democratic Congress (NDC), each hold one seat, bringing the Senate’s total membership to 106.

Meanwhile, both the Labour Party and Social Democratic Party (SDP) currently have no representation in the upper chamber following the recent defections.