The four lawmakers who left the Labour Party for the APC include Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), and Iyawe Esosa (Edo).
Abuja, Nigeria – The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has gained four members of the Labour Party (LP) caucus in the House of Representatives, alongside Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, the daughter of former Delta State Governor, James Ibori, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The four lawmakers who left the Labour Party for the APC include Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), and Iyawe Esosa (Edo).
Confirming his defection, Donatus Mathew, who represents the Kaura Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, explained that his decision was based on personal conviction. Mathew, a former commercial motorcycle rider who made headlines after winning his seat in 2023, stated that his decision may not reflect a unanimous agreement within his constituency.
“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,” he said. “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.”
Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, who represented her constituency under the PDP, also joined the APC, further boosting the party’s ranks.
Their defection letters were read by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas during Thursday’s plenary session in the House of Representatives.
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