Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, George Ibezimako Ozodinobi (LP, Anambra), has expressed disappointment over the defection of four Labour Party (LP) lawmakers to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The defectors—Chinedu Okere (Owerri Municipal/Owerri North/Owerri West Constituency), Mathew Donatus (Kaura Federal Constituency, Kaduna), Akiba Bassey (Calabar Municipal/Odukpani Constituency), and Esosa Iyawe (Oredo Federal Constituency, Edo)—announced their decision during Thursday’s plenary.
Citing internal disputes within the LP as their reason for switching parties, their letters of defection were read by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen on the House floor.
Ozodinobi’s Rebuke
Reacting to the announcement, Ozodinobi criticized his colleagues’ decision, invoking a biblical reference to underscore his disappointment.
“I will quote the Bible. When Jesus was carrying the cross to Calvary, the woman, Veronica, was weeping. And he looked back and said, ‘Women of Israel, don’t weep for me, weep for yourselves,’” Ozodinobi remarked.
“I am telling those who have defected that they will continue weeping for themselves because where you have crossed over to, you don’t have a future,” he added, addressing the defectors directly.
Labour Party Responds
The Labour Party also condemned the defections, describing them as “unfortunate and irrational.”
In a statement, LP spokesman Obiora Ifoh criticized the defectors for abandoning the party, which gained significant traction in last year’s presidential election, securing nearly six million votes.
“This action is inconsistent and alien to all known norms for which democracy stands,” Ifoh said.
He further disclosed that the party had instructed its legal team to pursue legal actions against the defectors, citing provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the 2022 Electoral Act as amended.
“The Labour Party leadership is undaunted by the defection,” Ifoh stated, adding that the party would also initiate processes to reclaim the defectors’ mandates.
The defections mark a significant moment for the LP, which has been striving to consolidate its position as a strong opposition force in Nigeria’s political landscape.
