Senator Kawu Sumaila Officially Dumps NNPP for APC.
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu.
May 7, 2025
In a significant political realignment, Senator AbduRahman Kawu Sumaila, who represents Kano South Senatorial District under the platform of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, read Sumaila’s defection letter on the Senate floor during plenary on Wednesday. The letter, titled “Notification of Defection from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC),” cited internal party crises as the primary reason for his departure.
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Senator Sumaila explained that his decision to exit the NNPP was due to “compelling and undeniable developments within the party” which he described as “severely divided and dysfunctional.”
> “Over the past months, I have observed a growing number of litigations that have practically torn the party apart and left its structure fractured,” he wrote.
“These legal battles have eroded internal cohesion and created parallel and conflicting authorities within the party.”
He further emphasized that the party’s internal divisions had reached a critical point, citing the existence of multiple factions and even different party logos, which he said symbolized the deep fractures and confusion within the NNPP.
Sumaila stressed that in line with his constitutional right and for the benefit of his constituents, he chose to move to the APC, which he described as a “national platform” that would provide better support for his legislative responsibilities and the aspirations of the people of Kano South.
With Senator Sumaila’s defection, the numerical strength of the NNPP in the Senate has dropped to two. The APC now commands a majority with 65 senators, followed by the PDP with 33, Labour Party with five, SDP with two, and APGA with one. This brings the total number of sitting senators to 107, with two seats currently vacant.
The vacant seats include Anambra South, following the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in 2024, and Edo Central, left open after Senator Monday Okpebholo became the Executive Governor of Edo State.
Senator Sumaila’s defection marks another chapter in the ongoing political shifts within Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber and is expected to have significant implications for legislative alliances and political strategy leading up to the next electoral cycle.
