Nigeria has continued to experience convulsions in the political landscape with the switching of allegiance, strategic defection and party rift ahead of the 2027 general election.

On Thursday, July 31, the narrative became tense when Dino Melaye, a former Kogi West senator, announced his official resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing the failure of the leading opposition to provide effective governance and credible leadership to Nigerians.

When Dino Melaye dumped the PDP

The Guardian reported Melaye's resignation letter was dated July 4, 2025 and addressed to the party's chairman at Ward 1 in Aiyetoro Gbede in the Ijumu local government area of Kogi State. The former national assembly member declared his immediate disengagement from all PDP-related activities.

In the same vein, the former PDP chairman in Ogun state, Sikirulai Ogundele, and the 2023 deputy governorship candidate of the party in the state, Adekunle Akinlade, defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Also, Luqmon Atobatele, a member representing the Abeokuta South State Constituency 1; Idowu Olowofuja, a former member of the State House of Assembly; Rotimi Rahaman, a former chairman of the Ogun State local government service commission; and Mojeed Ekelojumati and thousands of their supporters switched allegiance from the PDP to the APC on Thursday.

How politicians preparing for the 2027 election

This came at the time of alignment and realignment among politicians in the ruling APC, opposition PDP, Labour Party and others. This came after several members and political office holders under the PDP dumped the party for the APC.

Also, many political actors, particularly in the opposition parties, are aligning with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a party which was recently endorsed by the coalition, which was earlier championed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku started by calling on the opposition leaders to come together under one umbrella to defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election. He had been joined by Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Rotimi Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers.

Interestingly, Atiku, Amaechi, and Obi have announced their interest in contesting for the 2027 presidential election under the ADC. Several political pundits are of the view that Atiku is likely to emerge as the party's presidential candidate in the next general election.