The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has announced that several prominent members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will officially join the ruling party next week.
Speaking on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting in Jos, Plateau State, Yilwatda revealed that preparations are already underway to welcome the new members, many of whom have completed the formal requirements for defection.
“Next week, I will be receiving some notable figures from the ADC,” he stated. “Some of those who previously left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ADC have decided to return home to the APC. Many of them have already passed their medicals and will be unveiled soon. In another two weeks, we will also welcome another big name who just completed his medicals.”
Describing the APC as “the bride of the moment,” Yilwatda said the party’s unity, stability, and growing appeal have made it the most attractive political platform in the country. He commended party members in Plateau State for their steadfastness and resilience, particularly during the challenging period that followed the Supreme Court verdict on the state’s governorship election.
“Many believed that the APC in Plateau was finished politically, that we had been buried,” he said. “But what they didn’t realize was that a seed had already been planted. That seed has now germinated, and today, the APC is stronger, more vibrant, and growing by the day.”
The APC chairman encouraged members to remain united as more political heavyweights signal their interest in joining the party. He noted that the ongoing wave of defections reflects the ruling party’s increasing influence across Nigeria’s political space.
Meanwhile, opposition parties appear to be facing one of their toughest moments in recent years. The PDP, Labour Party (LP), and ADC have all been grappling with internal crises and mass defections that have weakened their ranks.
Currently, the PDP governs only eight of Nigeria’s 36 states. The Labour Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) each control just one state, while the remaining states are under APC leadership.
In the National Assembly, the APC holds a commanding majority with 73 of 109 Senate seats. The PDP follows with 27 senators, while the Labour Party has 4, APGA 2, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) 2, and the NNPP 1.
The ruling party also continues to expand its presence in the House of Representatives. Three PDP lawmakers from Kaduna State—Abdulkarim Hussaini Ahmed (Kaduna South), Aliyu Mustapha Abdullahi (Ikara/Kubau), and Sadiq Ango Abdullahi (Sabon Gari)—recently defected to the APC.
Their letters of defection were read by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen during plenary on October 15, increasing the APC’s total seats in the House to 236—just four short of the two-thirds majority mark of 240. The PDP now holds 80 seats, the Labour Party 22, NNPP 15, APGA 5, ADC 1, SDP 2, and YPP 1.
