The Labour Party (LP) has lost another member of the House of Representatives as Sunday Umahia, representing Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency of Enugu State, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday.
Umahia cited the protracted leadership crisis within the Labour Party as his reason for leaving, highlighting the emergence of three factions led by Senator Nenadi Usman, Barrister Julius Abure, and Alhaji Lamidi Apapa.
In his defection letter, read by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen during plenary, Umahia expressed frustration over the confusion in the LP’s leadership, stating that members no longer know whom to follow. He announced his decision to join the APC and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in providing leadership for Nigeria, particularly for the South East region.
Reacting to Umahia’s defection, Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda criticized the recurring trend of lawmakers switching parties, describing it as detrimental to Nigeria’s democratic values. He argued that the pattern undermines the stability of the political system and called for an urgent review of the constitutional provisions on defection to protect the nation’s democracy.
Chinda urged the Speaker to declare the seats of defecting lawmakers vacant, in line with constitutional provisions. He emphasized that the Supreme Court has resolved the Labour Party’s leadership crisis, rendering the cited reason for defection invalid. According to Chinda, such defections are no longer justifiable under the guise of internal party disputes.
The Minority Leader also referenced the House’s standing rules on committee leadership, stressing that chairpersons of standing committees are appointed based on party affiliations. He insisted that lawmakers who defect to other parties should relinquish their leadership roles in committees to maintain order and fairness.
The defection of Sunday Umahia adds to a growing list of LP lawmakers leaving the party amidst internal disputes,
