Internal Wrangling, Leadership Crisis Force One From LP And the other PDP Lawmakers into APC
Two members of the House of Representatives have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), citing internal crises in their former parties.
The lawmakers, Peter Akpanke (Obanliku/Obudu/Bekwara, Cross River) and Paul Nnamchi (Enugu East/Isi-Uzo, Enugu), officially joined the APC on Tuesday during plenary. Their defection letters were read by House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Akpanke, who was elected on the PDP platform, said his defection was prompted by persistent conflict within his former party. “Internal wrangling within the PDP” was the reason cited in his notice.
Nnamchi, elected on the LP platform, pointed to ongoing instability in his former party. “Leadership crisis in the LP” led to his exit.
Their move is part of a broader trend that has seen a wave of defections to the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Since October 2024, several lawmakers from PDP, LP, YPP, and even APC have shifted party allegiance. The defections have been largely attributed to internal disputes, lack of cohesion, and alleged marginalisation.
On May 8, for instance, three PDP lawmakers from Katsina — Abdullahi Balarabe, Abubakar Albaba Aliyu, and Yusuf Majigiri — also joined the APC, citing reasons like “protracted crisis,” “lack of cohesiveness,” and “high level of internal crisis without cure.”
