The African Democratic Congress has emerged as the main opposition party in the Nigerian Senate following a series of defections by lawmakers that significantly reshaped the political balance in the upper legislative chamber.
Nine senators formally announced their defection to the ADC on Thursday, strengthening the party’s presence and shifting the dynamics of opposition politics within the Senate.
With the latest development, the ADC now holds nine seats in the Senate, surpassing the Peoples Democratic Party, which previously held the position of the largest opposition party but now has six senators after several high-profile departures.
Five senators who defected from the PDP include Dauda Yaroe, Lawal Usman, Ogochi Onawe, Aminu Tambuwal and Austin Akobundu.
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Three lawmakers left the Labour Party to join the ADC. They are Ireti Kingibe, Victor Umeh and Tony Nwoye. In addition, Enyinnaya Abaribe resigned from the All Progressives Grand Alliance before aligning with the ADC.
Most of the defecting senators cited persistent leadership crises and internal disagreements within their former parties as the main reason for their decision to switch political allegiance. Senator Abaribe explained that his defection followed his dismissal from APGA in September 2025.
The wave of defections has further strengthened the dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the Senate, which now holds 87 seats.
Following the realignment, the Senate composition stands at 87 seats for the APC, 9 for the ADC, 6 for the PDP, while the Accord Party, National Democratic Congress and New Nigeria Peoples Party each hold one seat.
Three Senate seats remain vacant following the deaths of their occupants in Nasarawa North, Enugu North and Rivers South East, pending the conduct of by-elections to fill the positions.
Political analysts say the emergence of the ADC as the main opposition party in the Senate marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s parliamentary politics and could influence legislative debates and alliances ahead of the next election cycle.
