Following the defection of four of its lawmakers to the All Progressives Congress, the Labour Party has vowed to take legal action to have the seats of the defectors declared vacant.
The National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, announced the party’s stance in a statement issued shortly after Thursday’s defection of the federal lawmakers.
The defectors—Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), Iyawe Esosa (Edo), and Daulyop Fom (Plateau)—had their letters of defection read on the floor of the House of Representatives by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas. In a similar development, Erthiatake Ibori-Suenu, daughter of former Delta State Governor James Ibori, also ended her affiliation with the Peoples Democratic Party by joining the APC.
Ifoh described the defection of the LP lawmakers as “unfortunate, irrational, and inconsistent with the norms of democracy.” He referenced Section 68(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which he said is explicit about when a lawmaker sponsored by a political party can defect and what consequences follow such actions.
While ruling out a confrontation with the defectors, Ifoh emphasised the party’s resolve to seek redress in court and urged the Speaker to declare the lawmakers’ seats vacant. “Though the Labour Party leadership is undaunted by the defection, it has, however, elected not to allow it slide by instructing its legal team to take legal actions against the defectors and also commence the process of regaining our mandates in line with the 1999 Constitution and 2022 Electoral Act as amended.
“The party will also approach the Speaker of the House of Representatives to declare vacant the seats occupied by these former Labour Party members in line with the House Rules. It is inappropriate and unacceptable for these lawmakers to continue to function as representatives of their constituencies illegally,” he said.
Ifoh further revealed that the LP plans to establish a ‘Hall of Shame’ register for lawmakers or elected officials who defect without relinquishing the mandates obtained on the party’s platform. “These lawmakers will feature prominently in the register. We call on Nigerians to beware of this genre of politicians lacking in clear democratic ideology and ethos rather than ‘Jumpology’ ideology, jumping from one party to the other in disregard to the enabling laws and without any ideological leaning.
“If we want this democracy to thrive, we must isolate these political merchants and opportunists and help bury their mercantilist political enterprise by snubbing, affronting, and rejecting them in future polls, having exhibited a grave level of character deficit by betraying public trust,” he added.
Highlighting the Labour Party’s history, Ifoh noted that since its formation in 2002, the party has remained active, producing a governor and several elected officers over the years. He remarked on the party’s significant achievements in the 2023 general election under Barrister Julius Abure’s leadership, which included winning a governorship seat, eight Senate seats, 35 House of Representatives seats, and numerous state House of Assembly seats.
“The party also caused a major upset at the presidential election, one that many Nigerians still believed that the Labour Party won. For emphasis, the Labour Party did not only give out free membership cards but also gave out free nomination forms to as many that could not afford the ridiculously low fees.
“Thousands of people, including Okada riders, bricklayers, young unemployed graduates, and artisans of all sorts, including a palm kernel crusher in Enugu, took advantage of the party’s policy to participate in the 2023 general election, for which many of them won their elections. These deserters did not win because of their pedigree or financial muscles but simply because of the ticket and by the grace of millions of people that vowed to see the end to the ‘entitlement mentality’ of a few cabals,” Ifoh lamented.
Reacting to claims by the defectors that internal wranglings within the LP prompted their exit, George Ozodinobi, leader of the party caucus in the House and Deputy Minority Whip, dismissed the allegations. He warned that the defectors’ actions could have long-term consequences.
“We don’t have any crisis in our party. There is nothing like a faction in the Labour Party. When people enter into political parties without having an ideology, they show that they cannot be trusted.
“I stand bold to say that this rotten carrot being dangled before them by the party that has brought so much hardship to the people will soon be clear before Nigerians. The people are waiting for them in 2027,” Ozodinobi declared.
House Minority Whip, Ali Isa, also criticised the defectors’ actions, describing them as “unfortunate.” “I sympathise with them for deciding to move to the APC, considering the hardship we are going through in this country. I want to say that there is a need to declare their seats vacant,” Isa said.
Meanwhile, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over Thursday’s plenary, welcomed the defectors to what he termed “The biggest political party in Africa.” Following the announcement, APC members took turns shaking hands with their new colleagues.
