ABUJA — The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has officially lost its final presence in the upper chamber of the National Assembly after Senator Rufai Hanga, representing Kano Central, announced his defection to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). The political shift was formalized on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, during plenary when Senate President Godswill Akpabio read Hanga’s official letter of resignation from his former party.
In his correspondence to the Senate leadership, Senator Hanga cited persistent and lingering internal crises within the NNPP as the primary catalyst for his departure. He explained that the party has been marred by factional disputes and conflicting leadership directions, which he claimed created an unstable political atmosphere that hindered his ability to function effectively as a lawmaker for the people of Kano Central.
Hanga noted that his decision was not made in isolation but followed extensive consultations with his constituents and key political stakeholders in Kano. He asserted that the Nigeria Democratic Congress currently aligns more closely with his political objectives and his broader vision for governance in Nigeria. The move is seen as a major blow to the NNPP, which, despite its strong performance in the 2023 gubernatorial elections in Kano, has struggled to maintain its federal legislative foothold amid a wave of high-profile defections to the burgeoning "third force" movement.
With Hanga’s exit, the NNPP’s seat count in the Senate has dropped to zero, marking the complete disappearance of the party from the Red Chamber for the remainder of the 10th Assembly. Meanwhile, the NDC continues to grow its influence, benefiting from the recent influx of several heavyweights into its fold.
The current distribution of seats in the 109-member Senate now stands as follows:
APC: 89 seats
ADC: 7 seats
PDP: 4 seats
NDC: 3 seats
APGA: 1 seat
Accord:1 seat
Labour Party: 1 seat
NNPP: 0 seats
The rise of the NDC to three seats in a relatively short period highlights the shifting loyalties within the National Assembly as politicians begin to realign themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections. For the NNPP, the loss of its last senator represents a significant setback in its efforts to project national influence outside of its traditional stronghold.
Given the total loss of NNPP representation in the Senate, do you believe this signals a permanent decline for the party, or can it successfully rebuild its federal presence solely through its control of the Kano State executive?
