News reaching News About Nigeria is that six members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, under the platform of the Labour Party (LP), have defected to the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to the lawmakers, their defection is due to the ongoing crisis rocking the party.
The defected lawmakers, who include Ejike Eze (Igbo-Eze North 1), Johnson Ugwu (Enugu North), Princess Ugwu (Enugu South Rural), Pius Ezeugwu (Nsukka West), Amuka Williams (Igbo-Etiti East) and Osita Eze (Oji River), announced their defection during the plenary on Thursday in Enugu.
In their defection letter, which was read by the Speaker of the House, Uche Ugwu, at the Assembly Legislative Complex, the lawmakers cited the “existence of irreconcilable division, an ongoing crisis within the Labour Party at the national level, and across all the state chapters,” as the reason for their defection.
“Regrettably, the party has evolved into a state of perpetual discord with various factions embroiled in legal battles, thereby undermining its ability to effectively serve the interest of the people,” they added.
They further lamented the fact that the LP, which was “once a beacon of hope for progressive ideas” has “regrettably become synonymous with internal squabbles, thereby reducing its capacity to fulfil the aspirations of electorates.”
The lawmakers further noted that they are optimistic that their defection to the PDP would give them the platform to effectively serve their people.
Recall that there has been various leadership tussles in the Labour Party, from the fight between the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, and the Lamidi Apapa-led faction to the battle with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
However, the crisis in the party took on another dimension following an alleged takeover of the party’s administration by its Board of Trustees.
The move comes hours after the National Chairman, Julius Abure, was re-elected on Wednesday at the party’s national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State.
