The Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have experienced another blow in the National Assembly, as two members of the House of Representatives officially switched allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC). This recent move adds to the list of lawmakers leaving opposition parties for the ruling party.
On Wednesday, during a plenary session in the House of Representatives, Okolie Lawrence and Akingbaso Olanrewaju made their defections known. Lawrence, who represents the Aniocha North/Aniocha South/Oshimili North/Oshimili South federal constituency in Delta State, said his departure from the LP was in the best interest of his people. He noted that moving to the APC would help him bring development and better governance to his constituency.
In a similar move, Akingbaso Olanrewaju, the representative of Idanre/Ifedore federal constituency in Ondo State, announced his defection from the PDP. Olanrewaju pointed to ongoing internal conflicts within the PDP as his reason for leaving. He also noted his alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s “renewed hope agenda” as one of the motivations for joining the APC.
The defection of the two lawmakers didn’t go unnoticed. Kingsley Chinda, the Minority Leader in the House, raised a point of order following Olanrewaju’s declaration. He challenged the claim that the PDP was facing a crisis and argued that the party was stable. Despite this objection, the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, acknowledged Chinda’s concerns but decided to move forward with the day’s legislative proceedings.
These defections are the latest in a wave of political shifts taking place in the House of Representatives. In recent months, several lawmakers have left opposition parties to join the APC. The trend has further boosted the presence and control of the ruling party in the lower chamber, leaving the opposition with fewer voices and reduced influence.
