The Labour Party (LP) has announced plans to take legal action against five of its lawmakers in the House of Representatives who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The affected lawmakers include Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Matthew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), Esosa Iyawe (Edo), and Daulyop Fom (Plateau).
Their decision to leave the party was officially disclosed during plenary.
The Labour Party expressed disappointment, stating that the defections were unjustified.
The party referenced the 1999 Constitution, which requires a valid reason, such as internal division, for a lawmaker to switch parties without losing their seat.
The party said these lawmakers abandoned their mandate and betrayed the trust of voters who supported them under the Labour Party platform.
According to the party, these lawmakers benefited from its support during the 2023 general elections, where the Labour Party achieved historic victories.
Many of these candidates, the party claimed, were ordinary citizens who gained political opportunities through LP’s grassroots-focused policies.
Despite the party’s assistance during their campaigns and legal battles, the defectors have allegedly failed to contribute back to the party.
The Labour Party has instructed its legal team to pursue the retrieval of the defectors’ mandates and will also ask the Speaker of the House to declare their seats vacant.
Furthermore, the party plans to create a “Hall of Shame” to document cases of defections it considers a betrayal of public trust.
The party urged Nigerians to hold such politicians accountable in future elections, describing their actions as a disregard for democratic values and loyalty to voters.