BENIN CITY – The Labour Party (LP) has strongly criticized the defection of four of its members in the House of Representatives to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the move as unconstitutional and contrary to democratic norms.
The Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, announced the defection of Chinedu Okere, Mathew Donatus, Akiba Bassey, and Esosa Iyawe, who claimed their decision was due to an “internal crisis” within the Labour Party.
Reacting to the development, LP spokesperson Obiora Ifoh stated that the party would initiate legal action against the defectors. He argued that their actions violated Section 68(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which outlines the conditions under which a lawmaker may defect to another party.
According to the Labour Party, defections are only legally justified in cases of a division within the party or a merger involving the party. The party called on the Speaker of the House to declare the seats of the defected lawmakers vacant, insisting that their continued representation was unlawful.
“The defection, to us, is quite unfortunate and we condemn the action, which is irrational, untenable, and alien to democratic principles,” the statement read.
Quoting Section 68(g) of the Constitution, the LP reiterated:
“Being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected, provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored.”
The Labour Party emphasized that it would not let the matter slide, revealing plans to pursue legal remedies and regain the mandates through constitutional and electoral processes.
“The party has instructed its legal team to take immediate action against the defectors and will also approach the Speaker of the House to declare their seats vacant in line with the House Rules,” Ifoh said.
In addition, the LP announced its decision to create a “Hall of Shame” register to document the names of lawmakers or party officials who defect without relinquishing the mandates they secured under the Labour Party.
“These defected lawmakers will be prominently featured in the register,” the statement concluded.
The Labour Party reiterated its commitment to protecting its mandates and ensuring that elected representatives uphold democratic principles and the rule of law.
