Four Labour Party Lawmakers, Including Ex-Motorcyclist, Defect to APC
A wave of defections has hit the Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria’s House of Representatives, as Donatus Mathew, a former commercial motorcyclist who rose to prominence in the 2023 elections, has joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside three other LP lawmakers.
Mathew, who represents the Kaura Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, was among those swept into office during the 2023 general elections under the momentum of the ‘Obidient Movement,’ inspired by Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi.
However, his political allegiance shifted on Thursday, December 5, 2024, when his letter of defection to the APC was read on the floor of the House by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Mathew was joined by Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), and Iyawe Esosa (Edo), all of whom also moved to the APC on the same day.
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Explaining his defection, Mathew, who made history as a former motorcyclist-turned-lawmaker, cited personal conviction as the driving force behind his decision.
He acknowledged that not everyone in his constituency might align with the move, but he remained confident in his choice.
“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,” Mathew stated.
“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 is the right decision for them. There are those who are skeptical, waiting for the outcome.”
Additionally, Erhitake Ibori-Suenu, the daughter of former Delta State Governor James Ibori, also decamped to the APC from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
