The leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has announced that it has begun the legal process to reclaim the seats of four lawmakers who recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The opposition party argued that the lawmakers should not be allowed to retain their seats after switching allegiance to the APC.

LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, made this known in an exclusive interview with DAILY GAZETTE. 

He expressed the party’s strong disapproval of the defections, describing them as “unfortunate, irrational, and against the principles of democracy.”

The four lawmakers who defected from LP to APC are Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), Iyawe Esosa (Edo), and Daulyop Fom (Plateau). Their defection letters were read on the floor of the House of Representatives by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas on Thursday.

Ifoh clarified that under Section 68(g) of the 1999 Constitution, a lawmaker who defects from the party that sponsored them should vacate their seat.

He added that while the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, has the authority to declare their seats vacant, the party doubted that this would happen due to the Speaker’s apparent support for the defectors.

As a result, the LP plans to take legal action to have the defected lawmakers’ seats officially declared vacant.

Ifoh also stated that the party would be compiling a “Hall of Shame” register, which would publicly name the defected lawmakers and other political figures deemed to have betrayed the party’s mandate.

The register, which is set to be published on Monday, is intended to highlight the LP’s disapproval of the defections and to warn against similar actions in the future.

“We will publish the register on Monday to show that it is wrong to carry a party’s mandate to another party without following the constitutional process,” Ifoh explained.

The party’s legal team has already begun the process of filing a case in court to resolve the issue.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are gearing up for a legal showdown as the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal begins hearings today, Monday, over petitions challenging the outcome of the September 21, 2024, election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Senator Monday Okpebholo of the APC as the winner of the election, with Dr. Asue Ighodalo of the PDP finishing as the first runner-up.

However, Ighodalo and the PDP rejected the results, alleging electoral malpractice and manipulation, leading them to file a petition at the tribunal.

Ahead of the tribunal’s pre-hearing, the PDP Caretaker Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, called for a fair and thorough examination of the evidence.

He stated, “We expect the judiciary to look at the case impartially and make a decision based on the overwhelming evidence we have, which shows the election was stolen.”

Aziegbemi expressed confidence that the tribunal would deliver justice, adding that the PDP’s legal team would present strong evidence to support their claims.

Meanwhile, the APC Publicity Secretary, Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, expressed confidence in his party’s legal team, saying they were fully prepared to defend the election result.

“We are ready to meet them in court and expose any actions by the PDP that could be prejudicial to the case,” he stated.

He also reiterated that the APC believed the tribunal members had proven integrity and would uphold the law impartially.

Uwadiae-Igbinigie added, “We have responded to the petition, and the people of Edo will soon see that the PDP’s influence in the state has waned, while the APC government is committed to improving the lives of Edo citizens.”

INEC had declared Okpebholo the winner with 291,667 votes, defeating Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes, and Labour Party candidate Olumide Akpata, who received 22,763 votes.

In addition to the PDP, six other political parties, including the Accord Party, Social Democratic Party, and Allied Peoples Movement, have also approached the tribunal to contest the election results.

The tribunal, headed by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, will hear seven separate petitions, with the PDP seeking to have Ighodalo declared the rightful winner.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has advised northern politicians seeking the presidency in 2027 to wait until 2031, after the completion of President Bola Tinubu’s second term.

Akume made this statement during an appearance on the Politics on Sunday program on Television Continental, hosted by Femi Akande.

He also urged Nigerians to allow ongoing legislative processes to take their course, emphasizing that the reform bills currently being debated are designed for the benefit of the country.

Defending the tax reform bills, Akume assured the public that the measures were carefully crafted to improve the nation’s economic situation.

He stated that President Tinubu’s economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of the foreign exchange market, were steps towards rebuilding a country that had been negatively impacted by past administrations.

“Reforms are challenging but necessary. President Tinubu’s efforts are aimed at putting Nigeria back on the path of prosperity,” Akume said, adding that the results of these reforms would soon become evident to Nigerians.

Regarding the presidential ambitions of northern politicians, Akume argued that it would be unfair to disrupt the political balance by seeking the presidency in 2027.

He emphasized that Tinubu, as a Southerner, deserves the opportunity for a second term.

Therefore, Akume suggested that those from the north, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, should focus on the 2031 election cycle instead.

He concluded by stating that if it is God’s will for Atiku or any northern aspirant to become president, they could do so even at an advanced age, but that the 2027 presidential race should not be their focus.

Etanabene Benedict, a member of the House of Representatives from the Labour Party (LP), has revealed that several of his colleagues are considering defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Benedict, who represents the Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie federal constituency in Delta State, made this statement during an appearance on the Politics Today program on Channels Television on Friday.

His comments follow the defection of four LP lawmakers to the APC on Thursday. The defectors cited ongoing crises within the Labour Party as their primary reason for the move.

In response, LP officials condemned the defections and threatened legal action, including a request to Speaker of the House Tajudeen Abbas to declare their seats vacant.

Benedict explained that the defections were part of a broader strategy as lawmakers aimed to strengthen their political position ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, many LP members are concerned about their chances of reelection under the party’s current trajectory.

He emphasized that the defections were motivated by the belief that they would not be well-positioned to secure re-election within the LP framework.

Benedict further dismissed claims of an internal crisis within the party, calling them mere excuses used by the defectors to justify their actions.

He noted that while some lawmakers have already made the decision, many others in the LP are also contemplating similar moves.

“If it happens tomorrow, I won’t be surprised,” Benedict said, referring to the potential for more defections in the near future.

Ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ondo State, who were involved in the November 16 governorship election, have expressed frustration over the non-payment of their allowances, threatening to stage a protest if the issue is not resolved soon.

The affected staff, numbering over 17,000, had undergone technical training before the election and were deployed to various roles throughout the election process.

Despite the passage of more than two weeks since the election, many of these staff members have yet to receive their promised allowances.

Speaking from Akure, the state capital, several staff members voiced their grievances, revealing that INEC had initially assured them of payment on the election day itself.

Some of the staff, preferring to remain anonymous, claimed they were told they would receive less than N20,000 each, but payments have still not been made.

One Supervisory Presiding Officer (SPO) expressed frustration, saying, “We never expected to be left unpaid for this long. INEC is not responding to us, and we are left in the dark. It’s very disappointing, especially since we were promised payment on the day of the election.”

Another staff member, accusing INEC of “using and dumping” them, called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and other stakeholders to intervene and ensure the payment is made.

The worker also confirmed that there is growing anger among the ad hoc staff, with plans for a peaceful protest at the INEC office if the allowances are not paid by Tuesday.

“I’m ready to join the protest if we don’t get paid soon. It’s been over two weeks, and we feel like we’ve been forgotten. There’s no reason for INEC not to pay us,” the staff member said.

However, Dr. Temitope Akanmu, the INEC spokesperson in Ondo State, denied the claims, stating that payments had already begun.

He explained that some delays were due to issues with the financial institutions involved. Akanmu assured the staff that any remaining payment issues would be addressed promptly.

“We’ve already paid most of the staff, but there are a few who are still facing banking issues. We’re working closely with them to resolve these problems, and the payments will be completed shortly,” he said.

“The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Oluwatoyin Babalola, is aware of the issue and is closely monitoring the situation to ensure a swift resolution.”