A fresh wave of defections in the House of Representatives has given the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the All Progressives Congress (APC), and other parties more members as politicians intensify realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections. 

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, read the notices of defection during plenary on Tuesday.

Twenty-seven lawmakers defected in what is one of the major political realignments in the Green Chamber, just less than one year before Nigerians head to the polls to elect their next set of leaders.

Fourteen of the defectors came into the APC. The eight lawmakers who joined the ADC were made up of five reps from the PDP,  two from the Labour Party (LP), and one from the APC.

Meanwhile, the Action Peoples Party (APP) got two lawmakers, one each from the PDP and LP. It was a similar story with the Accord Party, with two new House of Representatives members from the PDP joining the party, which now rules Osun State.

The lawmakers said their defections were due to an internal crisis in their former parties.

House of Reps Defectors

Below is a list of the lawmakers, the parties they defected from, and where they are headed: 

Nigeria wrapped up their March international window against the Jordan side currently ranked 64th in the world.

Jordan stunned the Super Eagles early in the 17th minute, as Mousa Tamari converted a well-rehearsed free-kick routine to give the hosts the lead.

Nigeria appeared to equalize six minutes later when Raphael Onyedika finished off a clever cut-back from Moses Simon, but the goal was controversially ruled out.

The breakthrough finally came in the 30th minute when Simon, captaining the team on his 97th appearance, reacted quickest after Ademola Lookman’s effort was blocked to score with a clinical left-footed finish—his second goal in as many games this month.

The turnaround was completed just before halftime. Bright Osayi-Samuel delivered a pinpoint cross to Emmanuel Fernandez, making his full international debut. The Glasgow Rangers forward showed great composure to control and fire a left-footed strike, giving Nigeria a 2-1 lead going into the break.

The second half grew more physical. In the 57th minute, goalkeeper Francis Uzoho was replaced by Adebayo Adeleye after a clearance incident. To strengthen the midfield, coach Eric Chelle introduced veterans Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi for Yira Sor and Onyedika, with Iwobi earning his 98th cap.

Jordan’s resilience eventually paid off in the 77th minute, as they leveled the score. Nigeria tried to regain the advantage, handing a senior debut to Philip Otele, who replaced Frank Onyeka, while Samuel Chukwueze came on for Simon. The closing stages were tense, culminating in a straight red card for Iwobi.

Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen is expected to wear an arm guard upon his return following surgery for a fracture.

The 27-year-old forward suffered a hand fracture following a collision with Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté during their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash last week.

Following the incident, Osimhen underwent surgery earlier this week, with his recovery projected to take about six weeks. While he is expected to return to the pitch towards the end of the season, he may need to wear special protective gear on the arm.

Turkish journalist Arda Özkurt revealed this via Winner Galatasary

“If Victor Osimhen’s treatment process progresses as planned, he can wear the jersey with a special protective splint if needed,” Özkurt was quoted.

The striker already wears a protective mask on his eyes, which has become symbolic following a cheekbone surgery in 2021. This specialised device is designed to immobilise the forearm and wrist to support the bone during the healing process. It reduces pain and prevents further damage by restricting unnecessary movement, typically featuring adjustable straps for compression and breathable padding for comfort.

Turkish media reports suggest the Super Eagles striker could return in time for the Istanbul derby against Fenerbahçe on April 26 at the earliest, depending on the progress of his rehabilitation. If he returns later than expected, he would likely feature only in the final two league matches—against Antalyaspor at home and Kasımpaşa away.

Osimhen will also hope the club progresses to the final of the Turkish Cup, where they are currently in the quarter-finals with a match-up against Gençlerbirliği.

The forward has tallied 19 goals and seven assists in 29 appearances this season, powering Galatasaray to a four-point advantage in the league, while also contributing seven goals and three assists in 10 UEFA Champions League games before their exit.