The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, has finally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), and 13 others have dumped other political partiesÂ
The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, finally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday and formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking a major shift in the political composition of the lower chamber.
Speaker of the House, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, announced Chinda’s resignation from the opposition party during plenary as lawmakers reconvened after a four-week legislative recess. The Speaker read that Chinda’s letter of resignation from the ruling party was dated April 23, 2026, which ended weeks of speculation surrounding his political future.
Chinda, who represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency of Rivers State, recently emerged as the APC’s governorship candidate in Rivers State for the 2027 general election.
Addressing lawmakers, Chinda expressed appreciation to opposition members for the opportunity to serve as Minority Leader since 2023.
His defection leaves the minority leadership significantly depleted, with no replacement yet announced. The Deputy Minority Whip, Rep. George Ozodinobi of Anambra State, remains the only member of the minority leadership still representing an opposition party.
The latest development follows earlier defections by former Deputy Minority Leader, Rep. Aliyu Sani Madaki of Kano State, who moved from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the APC, and former Minority Whip, Hon. Ali Isa, who also left the PDP for the ruling party.
The plenary session also witnessed a wave of defections, with 13 other lawmakers announcing their departures from various political parties.
Among them, Rep. Alex Egbona of Cross Rep. River State left the APC for the PDP, while Rep. Esosa Iyawe of Edo State defected from the APC to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) after losing the APC party’s primary election for the House of Representatives seat.
Rep. Jonathan Gaza Gbewfi also dumped the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the Labour Party (LP) after emerging as the governoship candidate of LP party in Nasarawa State.
In Katsina State, Rep. Sani Lawal resigned his membership of the APC but did not disclose his next political destination, while Rep. Shehu Dalhat Tafoki switched from the APC to the PDP.
A bloc of PDP lawmakers from Oyo and Bauchi states also announced their defection to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). They include Reps. Adebayo Adepoju, Stanley Olajide, Ojo Sunday Makanjuola, Najeem Oyedeji, Folajimi Oyekunle, Abbas Adigun and Auwalu Gwalabe.
Similarly, Rep. Benedict Etenabene left the Labour Party for the PDP.
The lawmakers, in separate letters read on the floor by Speaker Abbas, attributed their decisions to internal party crises, leadership disputes, unresolved grievances and what they described as undemocratic practices within their former parties.
