Chieftains of the Labour Party (LP) in recent times have been shifting allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Assistant Editor EMMANUEL BADEJO examines the pace at which the party is shrinking and its implications for the opposition party.
This is not the best of times for the Labour Party (LP), as unresolved intra-party crises have continued to take a toll on the political family that showed impressive performance during the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Since its inception, the LP has struggled, like many others, to challenge the dominance of the APC and PDP, which have consistently secured the majority of seats in the National Assembly.
The last general election was a landmark as the party made inroads, having one governor in Abia and legislators at both the National and State Assemblies.
While the party had produced a governor in the past, the current dispensation was its first time to gain access into the hallowed chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Leaders and members of the party had boasted to build on the gains it recorded by putting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government on its toes
However, the reverse is the case, as the party has been going through series of political upheavals, making it to fail in its opposition claim and therefore at disadvantaged to contest for political power.
Experts said the rate at which it loses its members to other political parties, calls for concern.
They said that it is becoming clearer that many of the candidates that contested election on LP’s ticket last year did that to win election. They didn’t intend to build the party.
These politicians, they added, rose on the stardom of former governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the party, Mr. Peter Obi.
Millions of Nigerian youths had bought into Obi’s candidature. They used the advantage of the social media to launder his image and the LP.
His candidature became a signature on the nation’s political landscape that wooed millions of young voters.
Known as Obidients, they expressed confidence in Obi, even after the Supreme Court decided his election petition case in favour of President Tinubu, then candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Though some of the party faithful criticized their lordships for the judgment, they had promised to play a strong opposition to the APC-led government.
However, from the developments in the party, there is no gainsaying that the promised posture of a virile opposition is becoming a façade.
Certainly, this would have left some LP’s loyalists disappointed.
The party, instead of experiencing addition, has been going through political hemorrhage, thus, becoming weaker and weaker by the day.
In recent times, news of political cross-carpeting of LP’s chieftains filled the air.
The party has lost to a senator, members of the House of Representatives, lawmakers in a state, notable candidate in the 2023 governorship election, and other gladiators.
The change of political family of these LP’s chieftains has further exposed the party’s weaknesses.
Unconfirmed reports said that it is not unlikely that more of its representatives at the National Assembly are already at the verge of decamping, too.
It is public knowledge that Labour Party is rattled with the decamping of its representatives at the National Assembly.
The defectors are Ajang Iliya, who represents Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency in Plateau State, announced his defection to the APC, becoming the sixth LP lawmaker to leave the party. Other defectors include Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), Iyawe Esosa (Edo), and Daulyop Fom (Plateau).
The former Labour Party lawmakers cited division within their party as the main reason for their defection.
Also, Michael Ayuba Auta, the party’s senatorial candidate for Southern Kaduna in the 2023 general elections on Monday officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Auta, who was instrumental in the Labour Party’s performance during the 2023 elections, vowed to mobilize one million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani in the 2027 elections.
Speaking at his defection ceremony in his Fai ward, Jaba Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Monday, Auta stated that his decision to join the APC was driven by prevailing political realities and the overwhelming demand from his supporters.
Recalling his political strength, he reminded his supporters of his ability to mobilize grassroots support, citing his role in securing 294,000 votes for Peter Obi in 2023 without government backing.
“If I could achieve that as an opposition figure, imagine what we will do in 2027. I guarantee one million votes for President Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani. The APC no longer has a problem in Southern Kaduna,” he declared.
Similarly, its governorship candidate in the last election in Bayelsa State, Udengs Eradiri, and his running mate, Commodore Benjamin Nathus (retd) had announced their resignations from the party.
It was gathered that most of the local government chairmanship candidate of the party in Bayelsa joined Eradiri and Nathus to dump the party.
To Ediri, the division within the leadership of the party led to his decision and opportunity to seek for a better platform.Related News
“But unfortunately, we couldn’t scale through the intrigues and challenges implanted in the party leadership”, he said.
Nathus said the move was borne out of his decision to seek a platform committed to a leadership that would propel Bayelsa towards a brighter and more prosperous future.
He said: “I am profoundly grateful for the support and camaraderie of the party members who have shared in our vision for a thriving Bayelsa and graciously provided me the opportunity to serve as a deputy governorship candidate. The journey has been enriched with invaluable experiences and insights”.
But the duo and their loyalists were yet to declare allegiance for any political party as at press time.
The lawmakers attributed their defections to the “existence of irreconcilable division, an ongoing crisis within the Labour Party at the national level, and across all the state chapters.
“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 noted that the LP “once a beacon of hope for progressive ideas” has “regrettably become synonymous with internal squabbles, thereby reducing its capacity to fulfill the aspirations of electorates.”
Grapevine sources hinted that some of the political gladiators in the party including Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, five Senators and 30 House of Representatives will still shift allegiance to other political parties ahead 2027 general elections draw nearer.
Hon. Chike Amadichi, the Diaspora Chairman of the Labour Party, few days ago announced his resignation from the party, citing personal reasons and a commitment to contribute to Nigeria’s leadership under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Amadichi revealed his decision upon returning to Nigeria from London, declaring his readiness to join the APC.
‘Obidient’ denies Obi
In an interview with a national television, Donu Kogbara expressed her disenchantment with the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, whom she once supported.
She admitted to no longer aligning with the “Obidient” movement, citing Obi’s lack of visible political aggression and a failure to act as a formidable opposition voice.
“I’m not an Obidient anymore, to be honest with you, because he (Obi) is such a disappointment. I mean there’s no aggression, the government is lousy and I mean the only good thing that I think Tinubu has done is keep herdsmen at bay because I’ve noticed there haven’t been any herdsmen shenanigans since Tinubu came in.
Notwithstanding, the National chairman the party, Julius Abure, said the party was prepared to provide a “virile, vibrant and strong opposition” to deepen Nigeria’s democratic governance.
Abure, who gave the assurance recently when he received the “Award of Honour and Character” conferred on him by Chief Omonhinwin Aiyebeni in Lagos, said it would spur him to work harder and offer valuable services to the Labour Party and Nigerians.
“This again has entrusted on us that onerous responsibility to be the voice of the people to provide a verile resounding vibrant opposition.
“The late Obafemi Awolowo has said the soul of democracy is a vibrant and strong opposition.
“The national leader of the party Mr. Peter Obi has said the Labour Party will play that role of opposition and indeed the party will continue to play that role.
“I must state here clearly that all the progressive forces within the party and the nation must come together to fight the political oligarchy in Nigeria.
“Today, the country is not working and we need every progressive force to be able to come together, join forces together in order to redesign and reshape the economy and politics, so that our human and natural resources can all be harnessed together for the well- being of the country.
“Nigeria has what it takes to be a very great nation, in terms of its human and natural resources. But leadership has been a major challenge of the country.’’
Stakeholders are now expressing concern over LP’s misfortune, wondering how the party will stand by 2027 when another general election will be held.
No Division in our party, says Ifoh
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiorah Ifoh, has maintained that there was no division within the opposition party.
Ifoh stated this amidst reports that two senators elected on the party’s platform are set to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Ifoh said the party was determined to retrieve, through constitutional means, its mandate from those who used its platform to secure seats at the National Assembly but have since jumped ship.
While he confirmed moves by certain senators to also defect to the APC, Ifoh said the national leadership of the party was watching the development and would resist it, using relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution. He said: “After the general election, Labour Party won eight seats in the Senate and 35 seats in the House of Representatives. We, however, lost a senatorial seat through the courts.
“Though a proviso in the constitution stated that the lawmakers can change party where the party in which such one is elected has a crisis. However, the Labour Party has no crisis presently. “The current leadership has been affirmed by the courts as valid and legitimate. Though a few of our leaders made attempt to infuse crisis but that was nipped with the help of the court.
“We have, however, challenged the defections in the court, asking that the members that defected should drop the mandate and vacate their seats as well as return all illegally received allowances and emoluments. As regards whether some senators will leave, the party is aware of pressures from the other parties to woo them. It is not impossible that one or two may succumb. “But many of them have vowed their loyalty to the party leadership and we believe that common sense will prevail, particularly now that the party has clearly wriggled itself from the earlier hiccups. But for those who may wish to decamp, we will ensure that the provision of the constitution applies.”
SOURCE: The Nation
