Kehinde Fajobi
Four Labour Party (LP) lawmakers in the House of Representatives defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday.
The defectors are Esosa Iyawe (Edo), Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), and Bassey Akiba (Cross River). In addition, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, daughter of former Delta State Governor James Ibori, left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the APC.
The former Labour Party lawmakers attributed their decision to internal divisions within the party.
Donatus Mathew, representing Kaura Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, explained his move as one based on personal conviction.
He stated, “You cannot just work on the decision of the people at the constituency level because you are dealing with people with different levels of understanding.
“I am taking this decision based on conviction. That is why, whether you like it or not, there are people within the constituency who are convinced that it (defection) is the right decision for them. There are those who are skeptical, waiting for the outcome.”
The defections were officially announced during Thursday’s plenary session when Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read the lawmakers’ letters on the floor of the House.
The Labour Party, which gained prominence in the 2023 general elections with six Senate and over 34 House of Representatives seats, has faced internal strife since the elections, weakening its position as an opposition force.