Top All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders attended a significant political event at the House of Representatives on Thursday. National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, and former chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje witnessed two New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) lawmakers formally defect to the ruling party.
Defectors Cite NNPP Leadership Crisis
Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin (Kiru/Bebeji) and Hon. Sagir Koki (Kano Municipal) resigned from NNPP after months of internal conflicts. Speaker Abbas Tajudeen read their defection letters during plenary. Both lawmakers cited unresolved factional disputes and leadership failures as primary reasons for leaving.
Jibrin, who rejoined APC days earlier, stated the NNPP’s divisions made representation impossible. He described the party as “deeply divided along irreconcilable lines.” Similarly, Koki explained that national and state-level crises paralyzed NNPP operations. This dysfunction left him no alternative but to defect.
Constitutional Objection Overruled
Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda raised repeated objections during the session. He argued the defections violated constitutional requirements. Chinda insisted the lawmakers failed to prove NNPP’s factionalization met legal justification thresholds.
Despite Chinda’s persistent points of order, Speaker Tajudeen declined to recognize his objections. The Speaker proceeded to welcome the legislators into APC ranks. This move signals ongoing political realignments ahead of future elections.
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