A member of the House of Representatives, Amos Magaji, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
The announcement was made by the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, during Tuesday’s plenary, following the reading of Magaji’s letter of defection on the floor of the chamber.
Magaji, who represents the Zangon Kataf/Jaba federal constituency in Kaduna state, explained that his decision was motivated by the ongoing crisis within the PDP, which he claimed had made it “impossible” for him to remain in the party.
In response, Kingsley Chinda, the minority leader, rejected Magaji’s defection, insisting that there was no crisis within the PDP. Chinda also called on Speaker Abbas to declare Magaji’s seat vacant, referencing Section 68 of the 1999 Constitution, which outlines the conditions under which a lawmaker may lose their seat due to defection.
Speaker Abbas responded by advising Chinda to submit an official letter detailing his request.
Magaji’s defection is part of a growing trend in the House, with several lawmakers recently switching allegiance from the PDP and Labour Party to the APC. Notable defections include Chris Nkwonta from the PDP on October 2, Sulaiman Abubakar on October 30, and four members from the Labour Party and one from the PDP who joined the APC on December 5.
