The National Assembly has resumed plenary after a four-week recess during which lawmakers returned to their constituencies to take part in party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The recess period significantly reshaped the political landscape, especially within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as many federal lawmakers either lost their party tickets or were prevented from contesting due to provisions of the amended Electoral Act.
Reports indicate that at least 20 serving senators failed to secure APC nominations for senatorial seats. While some were defeated in primary elections, others were disqualified during screening exercises.
Several lawmakers who recently defected to the APC were among those affected, including Benson Agadaga (Bayelsa East), Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South), and Banigo Ipalibo (Rivers West). Their exclusion was linked to stricter provisions of the Electoral Act amendment, which restricts party switching after official membership registers are submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The development has also impacted lawmakers who supported the anti-defection rules, with some now losing tickets under the same framework they helped establish.
In the Senate, some high-profile figures secured return tickets, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who were either affirmed by consensus or emerged unopposed in their constituencies.
Others who retained their nominations include Ahmad Lawan, Ali Ndume, Orji Kalu, and several serving senators across Borno, Ekiti, and other states.
However, several notable defeats were recorded, including losses by lawmakers such as Ned Nwoko, Danjuma Goje, and others who were unseated during primaries across various states.
The House of Representatives also witnessed a large number of incumbents losing their party tickets, with more than 50 members reportedly affected across different constituencies.
Prominent casualties include the House Majority Leader Julius Ihonvbere, as well as long-serving members like Nicholas Mutu and Mike Etaba, alongside several others who lost out during primaries or were disqualified during screening.
Some states recorded particularly heavy losses, including Cross River, Benue, Ogun, and Jigawa, where multiple serving lawmakers failed to secure renomination.
Despite the widespread defeats, several key lawmakers secured return tickets, including Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, James Faleke, Babajimi Benson, and other principal officers and committee chairpersons across both chambers.
The outcome of the primaries has set the stage for a politically charged atmosphere as lawmakers return to Abuja, with growing uncertainty over how the changes will influence legislative dynamics and relationships between the executive and the National Assembly ahead of the 2027 elections.
