The leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has expressed its disappointment with the recent defection of six of its lawmakers to the All Progressives Congress (APC), calling them a liability and insisting their absence would not be felt.
According to the party, the defectors had not contributed meaningfully to the party’s development and would not be missed.
In separate statements on Friday, Umar Farouk, the LP National Secretary, and Kehinde Edun, the party’s National Legal Adviser, both rejected the defectors’ significance to the party.
Farouk also confirmed that the LP had initiated legal action to have the lawmakers’ seats declared vacant and demand the refund of all salaries and allowances they had received since assuming office.
The defection was triggered when Ajang Iliya, the lawmaker representing Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency in Plateau State, announced he was joining the APC.
This brought the total number of LP lawmakers to defect to the ruling party to six.
The other defectors are Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), Iyawe Esosa (Edo), and Daulyop Fom (Plateau).
Farouk, speaking on the matter, described the defectors as “paper-weight politicians” who had ridden to office on the LP’s platform, which offered them a chance at leadership but did not prepare them for true political responsibility.
He further stated, “They have never contributed a kobo to the party’s growth. Why should I care if they leave? We will pursue legal action to have them removed from their positions, and I’m confident the Speaker will take the appropriate action once the court rules.”
Farouk also expressed frustration that the lawmakers had defected despite the party’s efforts to reconcile with them and had extended an olive branch to any aggrieved members.
He suggested their move was motivated by personal gains rather than ideological differences.
“They’re after the benefits of being in the majority party, like access to powerful committees and positions,” he said. “Their actions are driven by self-interest, not the welfare of their constituents or the party.”
The LP National Secretary also lamented that the party had been lenient in addressing the misconduct of some members, which led to factions within the party.
He accused the defectors of being the architects of the crisis they blamed for their exit, emphasizing that their defection was about personal gain.
Kehinde Edun, the party’s National Legal Adviser, echoed Farouk’s sentiments, calling the defectors traitors.
Be further argued that the APC would likely not grant them tickets for the next election, stating, “These lawmakers owe their positions to the LP’s movement, which helped them secure victory. They weren’t capable of winning on their own. Their decision to join the APC is about avoiding accountability to their constituents due to their poor performance.”
Edun also predicted that the defectors would not succeed in the APC’s primaries, where stronger candidates would challenge them.
Meanwhile, the APC has called for caution regarding the defection trend.
Nze Duru, the APC Deputy National Organising Secretary, warned that encouraging mass defections could weaken the opposition and undermine the political system.
Duru emphasized that politicians should remain in their parties to strengthen their ideological positions rather than abandoning them at the first sign of internal challenges.
He stated, “Opposition must be nurtured and allowed to grow. Encouraging defections weakens the political landscape and undermines the development of party ideologies, which is essential for a healthy democracy.”
Duru suggested that any politician wishing to switch parties should resign their seat and seek a mandate from voters based on their new affiliation.
