APC suffers fresh setback in House as three Reps defect to ADC, PRP

By Christiana Ekpa

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday lost three members of the House of Representatives to opposition parties, in a fresh wave of defections that greeted the resumption of plenary at the National Assembly.
The defections were formally announced on the floor of the House by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, who read separate letters from the affected lawmakers explaining their decisions to leave the APC.
One of the defectors, Rabilu Bala, representing Jama’are/Itas-Gadau Federal Constituency of Bauchi State, announced his resignation from the APC and immediate move to the Peoples Redemption Party.
According to his letter, Bala cited persistent internal disagreements within the APC and the desire to pursue his political career on a platform he believes would better serve the interests of his constituents.
The APC also lost Abubakar Zango, who represents Yola North/Yola South/Girei Federal Constituency in Adamawa State.
Zango announced his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), saying the decision was informed by his conscience and what he described as the broader national interest.
He assured constituents that his change of party affiliation would not affect his commitment to legislative duties, pledging to continue serving in line with democratic principles and the mandate entrusted to him.
Similarly, Abdullahi El-Rasheed, representing Dukku/Nafada Federal Constituency of Gombe State, also dumped the APC for the ADC.
The latest defections occurred barely 24 hours after lawmakers returned from the Sallah recess, highlighting the ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
With two lawmakers joining the ADC and one moving to the PRP, the opposition parties have further strengthened their presence in the House of Representatives, while the APC faces renewed concerns over internal cohesion and membership retention.