The Labour Party (LP) has started legal proceedings to reclaim the seats of four lawmakers who recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The party argues that the representatives, who were elected on its platform, have no right to retain their positions after switching parties.
National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, confirmed this development during an interview, following the lawmakers’ official defection announcement in the House of Representatives. Their letters of defection were read on the floor by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
The affected lawmakers include Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), Iyawe Esosa (Edo), and Daulyop Fom (Plateau).
Describing the defection as “unfortunate and irrational,” Ifoh cited Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which outlines conditions for lawmakers to defect and the consequences of such actions.
He said, “We said we were going to do three things. Number one, we condemned the defection. We said the party would open a register of shame and that we were going to write a letter to the Speaker to declare their seats vacant.
“According to the constitution, it’s only the Speaker of the House who can declare their seats vacant. But the manner in which the Speaker applauded the defected members, it is obvious he will certainly not do it.
“So, we will take the next step by going to the court to get the order. Already, we are in court in addition to one or two instances related to that. Our legal department has been asked to proceed to file the matter.”
“Let me tell you that significantly by tomorrow, Monday, we are going to publish the register of the hall of shame. We will make it available and publish it in the media generally.
“This will be done for people to know that it is wrong to take a party’s mandate to another party without doing what Section 68, Subsection 1(g) says concerning defection, especially when the party is not in crisis.
“But when leaving, you are supposed to drop the mandate. So, the register will be published tomorrow. On Monday, you will see it,” he assured.
