Since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999, two parties have remained prominent, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the All Progressives Congress, APC, a coalition of the All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, the Congress for Progressives Change, CPC and the All Progressives Congress, APC.

While some politicians have been able to stay within the same political party, not defecting, except in cases of alliances and mergers, other politicians have cut a knack for themselves as crisscrossing between the two dominant parties with ease.

We bring you 7 seven top politicians in this category.

1. Atiku Abubakar

In 1999, Atiku Abubakar was Nigeria’s Vice President under the platform of the PDP. Close to the end of the tenure in 2007, he fell out with his boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, and was forced out of the party.

He quickly found solace in the then Action Congress, AC, a party newly established by then Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu. He eventually flew the flag of the party in the 2007 general elections as its presidential candidate.

Not too long after, Atiku returned to the PDP, and contested the party’s presidential primaries against then President Goodluck Jonathan, but lost.

In August, 2013, Atiku led seven PDP governors to walk out of the party’s national convention in Port Harcourt. The group later formed the new-PDP, nPDP, which later joined the newly formed APC.

Atiku then contested the December, 2014 presidential primaries of the APC, losing to President Muhammadu Buhari.

He later officially returned again to the PDP December 3, 2017, and flew the party’s flag as its presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections, losing to Buhari.

2. Bukola Saraki

While Senate President, Bukola Saraki’s father belonged to the All Peoples Party, APP in 1999, he worked with President Obasanjo as a Special Adviser.

He eventually contested as Kwara state governor in 2003, under the platform of the PDP, defeating incumbent, Muhammed Lawal.

He spent two terms in office, and also got elected to the Senate under the PDP umbrella.

He however joined the PDP members who walked out of the December 2003 national convention of the party in 2013 to form the nPDP which eventually joined the APC.

It was under the platform of the APC that he returned to the Senate in 2015, and was elected Senate President.

He however returned to his ‘home’, the PDP July 2018 in company of many other senators.

3. Musiliu Obanikoro

One of the political disciples of Tinubu, leader of the Alliance for Democracy, AD, Action Congress, Action Congress of Nigeria and the APC, Musiliu Obanikoro dumped his benefactor and left for the PDP.

He had earlier been elected to the Senate on the platform of the AD in 2003, before moving to the PDP.

He soon forgot home, and got many appointments and offers under his new party. These included Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana, governorship candidate of the party in Lagos state, and Minister of State, Defence.

Like a prodigal son, Obanikoro retraced his steps in 2017 and went to ask for forgiveness from his benefactor Tinubu before joining the APC.

4. Aminu Tambuwal

Aminu Tambuwal emerged the Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2011, after being elected on the platform of the PDP.

He was however not the choice of the leadership of the party, who had preferred Mulikat Akande-Adeola from Oyo state, but Tambuwal clinched the position through the help of the then ACN led by then Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola.

As the 7th National Assembly was winding up, Tambuwal defected to the APC, under whose platform he won the 2015 election as Sokoto state governor.

He however returned to the PDP in 2018, and won reelection in office.

5. Abdulfatah Ahmed

Although a governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed has been a loyal follower of Senate President Saraki, moving with him across party lines.

Having succeeded Saraki as governor in 2011 under the platform of the PDP, he was among the seven governors who walked out of the PDP National Convention in December 2013 to form the nPDP. He eventually followed his principal to join the newly formed APC.

When Saraki was to return again to the PDP in 2018, his ever loyal follower also joined in the train back to their former party.

6. Samuel Ortom

Having served as a minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan, he along with Obanikoro, Labaran Maku, Nyesom Wike, Emeka Wogu, Darius Ishaku and Oyebuchi Chukwu resigned their appointments to contest the PDP governorship primaries in their respective states.

Ortom however lost in the power play to then incumbent Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, who ensured that his favoured candidate, Terhemen Tarzoor emerged winner of the primaries in the state.

Less than 48 hours later, Ortom dumped the PDP for the APC, and emerged the party’s governorship flagbearer for the 2015 governorship election in the state.

He eventually defeated Tarzoor, and was elected governor of the state.

After running battle with President Muhammadu Buhari over herdsmen attacks in the state, Ortom returned to the PDP July 2018, under whose platform he won a second term in office in the 2019 general elections.

7. Yakubu Dogara

Yakubu Dogara like Saraki emerged Speaker of the House of Representatives under the platform of APC after crossing from the PDP.

Also like Saraki, he returned to his former party and contested for reelection to the House of Representatives which he won.

Do you know of any other Nigerian politicians in this category? Drop your comments.