Twelve members of the house of representatives have defected from the Labour Party (LP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Benjamin Kalu, deputy speaker of the house, read the defection notices during plenary on Thursday.
Victor Afam (Ogbaru federal constituency, Anambra), Peter Anekwe (Anambra east and west federal constituency), and Lilian Obiageli (Awka north/Awka south federal constituency, Anambra) moved from the LP to the ADC.
Peter Uzokwe (Nnewi north/Nnewi south/Ekwusigo federal constituency, Anambra), defected from the YPP to the ADC, while Omoruyi Osaro (Egor/Ikpoba-Okha federal constituency, Edo) joined the ADC from the LP.
Zakaria Nyampa, representing Michika/Madagali federal constituency of Adamawa, defected from the PDP to the APC.
Mohammed Bargaja (Isa/Sabon Birni federal constituency, Sokoto), James Barka (Gombi/Hong federal constituency, Adamawa), Kobis Thimnu (Guyuk/Shelleng federal constituency, Adamawa), Bitrus Kwamoti (Demsa/Numan/Lamurde federal constituency, Adamawa), and Midala Balami (Askira-Uba/Hawul federal constituency, Borno) quit the PDP for the APC.
Jesse Onuakalusi, who represents Oshodi-Isolo II federal constituency of Lagos, moved from the LP to the APC.
The lawmakers attributed their defections to internal crises in their former parties.
The defections further shrink the ranks of the PDP and LP in the house of representatives.
On Wednesday, four members of the house of representatives left the PDP and LP for the APC.
