Barely three days after the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi and his NNPP counterpart, Mallam Rabiu Kwankwaso dumped the African Democratic Congress (ADC), 17 members of the party in the House of Representatives Tuesday defected to the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) while one joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu announced the defections on the floor of the House during plenary.
The 17 lawmakers who defected to the NDC were: Hon. Datti Umar (Kano), Hon. Uchenna Okonkwo (Anambra), Hon. Adamu Wakili (Kano), Thaddeus Attah (Enugu), George Ozodinobi (Anambra), Hon. Lilian Orogbu (Anambra), Hon. Oluwaseyi Sowunmi (Lagos), Hon. Peter Aniekwe (Anambra) and Hon. Mukhtar Zakari (Kaduna).
Others who defected were Hon. George Olawande (Lagos), Hon. Munachim Umezuruike (Rivers), Hon. Emeka Idu (Anambra), Hon. Jesse Onuakalusi, (Lagos), Hon. Ifeanyi Uzokwe (Anambra), Hon. Afam Ogene (Anambra) and Hon. Abdulhakeem Ado (Kano).
Hon. Leke Abejide (Kogi), who announced his resignation from the ADC last Friday joined the APC.
Abejide, is a supporter of the embattled factional chairman of ADC, Alhaji Bala Nasir.
With these defections, the numerical strength of the ADC has significantly reduced in the House.
