Labour Party Loses Fifth House of Reps Member to APC in Eight Days

A week after four Labour Party (LP) lawmakers in Nigeria’s House of Representatives defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), another lawmaker, Ajang Iliya, has also decamped from LP to APC.

Iliya, who represents the Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency, submitted his letter of defection to the green chamber, which was read by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, during today’s plenary session on December 12.

According to the lawmaker, the need to align with the policies of President Bola Tinubu, coupled with the leadership issues within the Labour Party, influenced his decision.

“It is difficult to align with LP’s position on current issues,” Iliya stated in the letter.

Recall that last week, Donatus Mathew, a former commercial motorcyclist who gained prominence during the 2023 elections, along with three others, joined the ruling party.

Mathew was joined by Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), and Iyawe Esosa (Edo), all of whom defected to the APC on the same day.

Explaining his decision, Mathew, who made history as a motorcyclist-turned-lawmaker, cited personal conviction as the main driving force behind his move.

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“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,” Mathew said.

Additionally, Erhitake Ibori-Suenu, the daughter of former Delta State Governor James Ibori, also defected to the APC from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The recent wave of defections from LP to APC adds to the challenges faced by the Labour Party, a party that gained significant momentum during the 2023 elections through the popularity of Peter Obi.