The Labour Party (LP) caucus in the House of Representatives has suffered a significant setback as five of its members on Thursday defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The defectors include Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), Iyawe Esosa (Edo) and Daulyop Fom (Plateau).
Their defection was confirmed during plenary session when Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read their official letters of defection on the floor of the Green Chamber.
Donatus Mathew, who represented Kaura Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, cited personal conviction as the reason for his decision to leave the Labour Party.
Mathew, who made headlines in 2023 for his remarkable journey from being a commercial motorcycle rider to winning a parliamentary seat, explained that his choice might not align with all constituents but was made in their best interest.
“You cannot just work on the decision of the people at the constituency level because you are dealing with people with different levels of understanding,” Mathew said.
He further noted, “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 (defection) is the right decision for them. There are those who are skeptical, waiting for the outcome.”
The wave of defections was a blow to the opposition Labour Party, which has faced challenges maintaining its influence in the House of Representatives since the 2023 general elections.
It also bolstered the APC’s numerical strength in the lower chamber, potentially solidifying its legislative dominance.