Nine senators from various political parties officially defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Thursday, marking another shift in the political landscape of the Senate.

Among the lawmakers who joined the party are Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto South), Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), Binos Yaroe (Adamawa South), Victor Umeh (Anambra Central), Tony Nwoye (Anambra North), Lawal Usman (Kaduna Central), Ogoshi Onawo (Nasarawa South), Austin Akobundu (Abia Central), and Ireti Kingibe (Federal Capital Territory).

Their defection letters were read during Thursday’s plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

In his letter, Nwoye explained that his departure from the Labour Party was driven by the ongoing internal crisis and legal battles within the party, which he said had weakened its unity and stability.

Following the announcement, Akpabio welcomed the senators to their new party but rejected claims that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was responsible for the wave of defections.

He noted that the senators who defected came from several opposition parties, including the Labour Party, APGA, and the SDP, arguing that their exits reflected internal challenges within those parties rather than interference from the APC.

The latest developments highlight the continuing political realignments within the 10th Senate, as lawmakers shift allegiances amid disputes within opposition parties.

Despite the changes, the APC still holds a strong majority in the Senate with 87 seats, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) now has seven senators.

The ADC, strengthened by the new members, also has seven senators in the chamber.

Meanwhile, other minority parties including the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) each have one senator, bringing the Senate’s total membership to 106.

With the latest defections, both the Labour Party and the Social Democratic Party currently have no senators in the upper legislative chamber.