Six Nigerian House of Representatives members defected from the Labour Party, LP, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), prompting the party to file a lawsuit.
Akangbe Illiya, who represents Plateau State’s Jos South/Jos East, joined the APC on Thursday, contributing to the growing number of members of the House of Representatives who were elected under the LP quitting the party.
Illiya’s switch to the APC was deemed “quite unfortunate and condemnable” by the LP in a statement issued by party spokesperson, Obiorah Ifo.
The party acknowledged that the “Constitution guarantees citizens the right to freedom of association,” but said that Section 68(g) of the 1999 Constitution “is emphatic on when to defect and what happens when a lawmaker sponsored by a political party decides to jump ship.”
According to Obiorah, “the party has since filed actions in the court to compel the National Assembly leadership to declare the seats of the defected Labour Party lawmakers vacant.” Additionally, the lawsuit requests the restoration of any wages, benefits, and emoluments earned since the date of defection.
The party stated that it “is unnecessary to probe why the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abass, has refused to respect the provisions of the constitution by declaring their seats vacant and why the majority of the defectors chose the All Progressives Congress (APC) as their destination point.”
However, since they have shown themselves to be undeserving of our future trust, politicians who have decided to desert the people during this pivotal period in their lives are the ones who should be pitied.
In around two weeks, six members of the House of Representatives have defected from the LP to the APC, claiming that one of Nigeria’s major opposition parties is experiencing a leadership crisis.
In response to the defection, the party declared that it would sue the lawmakers.
