Five Labour Party Lawmakers Defect to APC Amid Party Division

Five Labour Party (LP) members in the House of Representatives officially announced their defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) during Thursday’s plenary session. The lawmakers include Esosa Iyawe (Edo), Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Matthew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), and Daulyop Fom (Plateau). Alongside them, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, a lawmaker representing Delta under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also switched allegiance to the APC.

The defectors cited deep divisions within the Labour Party as the primary reason for their decision. Despite the Labour Party’s impressive performance during the 2023 general elections, where it secured six Senate seats and over 34 House of Representatives positions, internal discord appears to have overshadowed its achievements. The defections come as a setback to the LP, which had emerged as a significant political force, offering a fresh alternative to Nigeria’s established political parties.

Labour Party Condemns Defections and Defends Unity

In a strong reaction, the Labour Party leadership condemned the defections, labeling them as “irrational, untenable, and inconsistent with democratic norms.” The party dismissed claims of division, asserting that internal challenges have been resolved through peace mechanisms and judicial interventions. According to the LP, the defections violate Section 68(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which allows for party-switching only under specific circumstances such as a division or merger.

The Labour Party also criticized the defectors for betraying the trust of voters who supported them based on the LP’s manifesto and ideals. Highlighting the party’s grassroots-oriented approach during the 2023 elections, which included free membership and nomination forms for financially constrained candidates, the LP stated that many defectors owed their victories to the party’s inclusive policies. The leadership described the defections as a grave breach of trust and vowed to reclaim the mandates of the affected lawmakers through legal action.

Legal and Political Repercussions Loom for Defectors

In response to the defections, the Labour Party has directed its legal team to initiate proceedings aimed at recovering its mandates. The party plans to request the Speaker of the House of Representatives to declare the seats of the defectors vacant in accordance with legislative rules and constitutional provisions. Additionally, the LP announced the establishment of a “Hall of Shame” register to document defectors and discourage future occurrences of what it termed “political mercantilism.”

The party particularly singled out Donatus Matthew, who cited his solitary status as the only Labour Party member in the Northwest as a reason for defection. This explanation was dismissed as dishonoring the sacrifices of LP supporters, including the late Victoria Chintex, a Kaduna Labour Party women leader assassinated during the 2023 elections. Other defectors were also accused of neglecting their obligations to the party, failing to provide any financial or administrative support during their tenure.

Call for Voter Vigilance Against ‘Jumpology’ Politicians

The Labour Party urged Nigerians to hold defectors accountable by rejecting them in future elections. The leadership decried the growing trend of “Jumpology politics,” where lawmakers abandon their parties without ideological justification. Such actions, the LP argued, undermine democracy and erode public trust in political institutions.

By highlighting the contributions of ordinary Nigerians who propelled the LP to success in 2023, the party called on voters to prioritize character and democratic values over opportunistic politics. “If we want democracy to thrive, we must isolate political merchants and bury their mercantilist enterprises,” the LP stated, emphasizing the need for vigilance in holding politicians accountable to their mandates.

As the Labour Party moves to protect its interests, the defections signal both challenges and opportunities for Nigeria’s evolving political landscape. The incident underscores the importance of ideological commitment and accountability in strengthening the country’s democracy.