Labour Party Condemns Defecting Lawmakers, Demands Seats Declared Vacant
The Labour Party (LP) has strongly criticized the defection of four of its members in the House of Representatives to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), vowing to pursue legal action and demanding that their seats be declared vacant.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, announced the defections during a plenary session, naming the lawmakers as Chinedu Okere, Mathew Donatus, Akiba Bassey, and Esosa Iyawe. The defectors attributed their decision to alleged “internal crises” within the Labour Party.
In a swift response, LP spokesperson Obiora Ifoh condemned the defections, describing them as a breach of democratic principles and a violation of the 1999 Constitution.
“The defection, to us, is quite unfortunate. We condemn the action as irrational, untenable, inconsistent, and alien to all known democratic norms,” Ifoh stated.
Ifoh referenced Section 68(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulates that lawmakers may only defect if their political party is divided or merges with another. The Labour Party insisted that no such conditions exist, rendering the defections unlawful.
“The Constitution is emphatic on when to defect and what happens when a lawmaker sponsored by a political party decides to jump ship,” Ifoh emphasized.
The party called on Speaker Abbas to uphold constitutional provisions and House rules by declaring the lawmakers’ seats vacant, arguing that their continued representation under the APC is illegal.
The Labour Party revealed plans to challenge the defections in court, instructing its legal team to initiate proceedings to reclaim the mandates. Additionally, the party announced the establishment of a “Hall of Shame” register to document members who defect without relinquishing mandates secured under the LP.
“The party has decided to open a ‘Hall of Shame’ register for these lawmakers or any elected officer of the party who engages in the fraudulent act of defection without first dropping the mandate secured under our ticket,” Ifoh added.
Despite the defections, the LP affirmed its commitment to pursuing justice under the 1999 Constitution and the 2022 Electoral Act (as amended).
