In a major political shake-up on Tuesday, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, resigned and defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), as a total of 13 lawmakers announced cross-carpeting at the resumption of plenary.

Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read the letters of defection during the session, marking the first sitting after the Sallah break and weeks of party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Chinda’s resignation letter, dated April 23, was formally read on the floor after weeks of speculation following his emergence as the APC’s Rivers State governorship candidate. He was not present during the announcement.

“I formally tender my resignation from the position of Minority Leader of the House of Representatives with effect from the 23rd day of April 2026,” Chinda stated in his letter. The House is now expected to elect a new minority leader.

In Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde’s political alignment intensified as six PDP lawmakers loyal to him defected to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). The defectors—Anthony Adebayo, Adedeji Olajide, Sunday Makanjuola, Oyedeji Oyeshina, Fola Oyekunle, and Adigun Adekunle—cited “protracted internal crisis and leadership tussle in the PDP” in their letters.

Auwalu Gwalabe of Bauchi also left the PDP for the APM. However, the opposition camp gained new members, including Shehu Dalhatu (Katsina), who left the APC for the PDP. “After careful consideration of the issues in the APC and having consulted with my constituencies, I have resolved to join the PDP,” Dalhatu said in his letter.

Etanabene Benedict (Delta) defected from the Labour Party to the PDP, citing internal crises in the Labour Party. The PDP also welcomed Alex Egbona (Cross River), who left the APC but affirmed that his “commitment to the House and his constituency remains unshakeable”.

In Edo State, Esosa Iyawe, who is on his third party switch in recent years, left the APC for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), citing “irreconcilable differences with the Edo State chapter of the APC”. Meanwhile, Gbefwi Gaza (Nassarawa) moved from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the Labour Party.