The Labour Party (LP) caucus in the House of Representatives has lost four of its members to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday. The defectors include Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), and Iyawe Esosa (Edo).
In a related development, Erthiatake Ibori-Suenu, daughter of former Delta State Governor James Ibori, also severed ties with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the APC.
Confirming his defection, Mathew, who represents Kaura Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, explained that his decision to join the APC was driven by personal conviction. When asked if his defection had the support of his constituency, Mathew, who made history in 2023 as a commercial motorcycle rider elected to parliament, stated, “You cannot simply base your decision on the views of the constituency. People have different perspectives. I’m making this decision based on conviction, and while some may support it, others are waiting to see the outcome.”
The Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, read their defection letters to the APC on the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday.
