The leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has strongly criticized the six lawmakers who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing them as liabilities to the party. The party emphasized that their absence would not be felt, labeling them as “paper-weight politicians” who benefited from the LP’s platform but failed to contribute to its growth.
In separate interviews with *Saturday PUNCH*, the National Secretary of LP, Umar Farouk, and the party’s National Legal Adviser, Kehinde Edun, expressed that the defectors would not be missed. Farouk, reacting to the defections, stated, “Good riddance to bad rubbish,” pointing out that the defectors had not contributed positively to the party’s development. He also confirmed that the LP had filed legal proceedings to declare their seats vacant and recover all salaries and allowances they had received.
The defection of the six lawmakers, including Ajang Iliya (Jos South/Jos East, Plateau), Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), Iyawe Esosa (Edo), and Daulyop Fom (Plateau), was confirmed after Iliya’s announcement on Thursday. Farouk accused the defectors of pursuing personal interests, suggesting that their defection was motivated by a desire for access to “juicy committees” and opportunities in the APC.
The LP also criticized the defectors for blaming internal party crises for their actions. Farouk stressed that any crisis within the party was of their own making, claiming they were responsible for the disarray within the LP.
Edun, the party’s legal adviser, condemned the defectors as traitors, asserting that they only won their seats due to the LP’s political movement and would struggle to secure APC tickets for future elections. He suggested that the defectors’ poor performance in office would make it difficult for them to convince their constituents and that they would likely fail in APC primaries due to stronger contenders.
Meanwhile, the APC has urged caution regarding political defections, with the Deputy National Organising Secretary, Nze Duru, warning that such movements could weaken the opposition. He stressed the importance of nurturing strong opposition parties for the good of the country and suggested that those who defect should resign from their current positions and seek election under their new party platform.
The LP’s leadership remains resolute in pursuing legal action against the defectors while maintaining its commitment to its principles and the people who voted for the party.
