Two members of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Peter Akpanke and Paul Nnamchi, have switched their allegiance to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Akpanke, who represents the Obanliku/Obudu/Bekwara federal constituency in Cross River state, was elected under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while Nnamchi from the Enugu East/Isi-Uzo federal constituency was previously a member of the Labour Party (LP).
During Tuesday’s plenary, House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas announced their defection notices.
Akpanke cited discord within the PDP as the reason for his defection, while Nnamchi pointed to a leadership crisis in the LP.
In anticipation of the 2027 elections, lawmakers have been changing parties recently.
Four LP lawmakers and one from the PDP had defected to the APC, tipping the balance in the lower chamber by the end of last year. The trend continued early this year, with Amos Magaji from Kaduna and Garba Koko from Kebbi defecting from the PDP to the APC.
On March 18, two additional PDP lawmakers—Jallo Mohammed (Igabi, Kaduna) and Adamu Tanko (Gurara/Suleja/Tafa, Niger)—joined the ruling party, citing internal issues within their party.
On May 8, three PDP members from Katsina defected to the APC, and a week later, two lawmakers—Kabiru Usman and Abdullahi Sani, who represent Rano/Bunkure/Kibiya and Karaye/Rogo federal constituencies in Kano, respectively—defected from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the APC.
