By Ayomide Otitoju
Form Dalyop Chollom, a member of the House of Representatives representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency, has defected from the Labour Party (LP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). His defection was announced during Tuesday’s plenary session after Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read Chollom’s resignation letter.
Citing the ongoing political crisis within the Labour Party and his desire to provide better representation for his constituents, Chollom’s defection adds to the growing list of lawmakers abandoning the LP for the APC in recent weeks.
Objections and Reactions
Chollom’s move sparked opposition from Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda and Labour Party caucus leader George Ozodinobi, who called for his seat to be declared vacant, arguing that the defection violated constitutional provisions.
Speaker Abbas, however, dismissed their objections, ruling that Chollom’s defection complied with the rules. Chollom was warmly received into the APC fold by former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong and other party leaders who were present in the House chamber.
Labour Party Faces Growing Defections
Chollom’s defection follows a wave of recent exits from the Labour Party. Last week, four other lawmakers—Chinedu Okere (Owerri Municipal/Owerri North/Owerri West), Mathew Donatus (Kaura Federal Constituency), Akiba Bassey (Calabar Municipal/Odukpani), and Esosa Iyawe (Oredo Federal Constituency)—announced their move to the APC, also citing internal party crises.
In response, the Labour Party described the defections as “unfortunate” and announced plans for legal action. Party spokesman Obiora Ifoh stated, “The Labour Party leadership is undaunted by the defection… We have instructed our legal team to commence actions to regain our mandates in line with the 1999 Constitution and the 2022 Electoral Act as amended.”
Speculation About Future Defections
Amid these developments, Labour Party lawmaker Etanabene Benedict suggested that more defections might be imminent. Speaking on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Benedict attributed the defections to fears surrounding the 2027 general election.
“It’s about 2027,” he said. “The trend of Edo and Ondo is frightening to them. They don’t believe they are strategically positioned to seek reelection under the Labour Party. That’s the main reason. If more defections happen tomorrow, I won’t be surprised.”
The Labour Party’s leadership now faces the dual challenge of addressing internal dissent and preventing further defections as the political landscape shifts ahead of the next election cycle.
