The House of Representatives recorded further shifts in its partisan composition on Wednesday, as the Majority Caucus lost three Members to opposition parties. Rep. Abubakar Zango (Adamawa State) and Rep. Abdullahi El-Rasheed (Gombe State) defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while Rep. Rabilu Bala (Bauchi State) moved from the APC to the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP). The development also marked the PRP’s entry into the 10th Assembly, bringing the number of political parties represented in the House to eleven.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who read Bala’s letter on the floor of the chamber, said the lawmaker attributed his decision to persistent internal disagreements within the APC and the need to pursue a political platform he believes would better enable him to serve the interests of his constituents.
According to the letter, the decision followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders in his constituency and was informed by “concerns over developments within the party at both the state and national levels.”
In his letter, Zango said his decision was guided by his conscience and what he described as the broader national interest. He pledged to continue discharging his legislative responsibilities diligently and in accordance with democratic principles, assuring his constituents that his commitment to effective representation remained unchanged.
The defections add to a growing list of political movements that have gained momentum in recent months. The PRP, one of Nigeria’s oldest political parties with roots tracing back to the political movement led by the late Mallam Aminu Kano, has in recent years sought to rebuild its presence in Nigeria.
