- Safiu Kehinde
In the wake of five lawmakers’ defection to the All Progressive Congress (APC) today, the Labour Party has opened a ‘hall of shame’ record for the lawmakers, describing their decision to leave the party as unfortunate.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiorah Ifoh, Labour Party condemned the lawmakers’ action which it tagged irrational, untenable, inconsistent and alien to all known norms for which democracy stands for.
The party cited section 68(g) of the 1999 constitution which stipulated the conditions that can warrant the defection of a lawmaker from a to another.
“Section 68(g) of the 1999 constitution is emphatic on when to defect and what happens when a lawmaker sponsored by a political party decides to jump ship.
“The Constitution states (g) being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected;
Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored;” Obiorah wrote.
While maintaining that the party’s leadership is unmoved by the defection, LP announced that it has taken legal action against the lawmakers.
It also disclosed plan to meet with the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the declaration of the defected lawmakers’ seats vacant as they have violated the provisions of the constitution.
LP would then reveal the opening of the Hall of Shame register for the lawmakers and other possible members who may be found wanting.
“Though, the Labour Party leadership is undaunted by the defection, it has however, elected not to allow it slide and has therefore instructed its legal team to commence the legal actions against the defectors and to also commence the process of regaining our mandates in line with the 1999 constitution and 2022 Electoral Act as amended.
“The party will also approach the Speaker of the House of Representatives to declare vacant the seats occupied by these former Labour Party members in line with the House Rules.
“It is inappropriate and unacceptable for the these lawmakers to continue to function as representatives of their constituencies illegally.
“The party has also decided to open a ‘Hall of Shame’ register for these lawmakers or any lawmaker or elected officer of the party who engages in fraudulent act of defection without first dropping the mandate gotten under the ticket of the party.” Obiorah wrote.
The spokesperson recalled how Labour Party had backed the lawmakers during 2023 General election which brought them to power.
LP recalled how it had declared its nomination list open for interested members of the public and also sponsored the campaign of the lawmakers- especially Hon. Donatus Matthew who was an Okada before his emergence.
“The Labour Party thought it wise to percolate power down to the grassroot to serve the intended population rather than allowing power to be exclusively for the urbane and rich few. Labour Party did not only give out free membership cards but also gave out free nomination forms to as many that could not afford the ridiculously low fees.
“Thousands, including Okada riders, brick layers, young unemployed graduates, and artisans of all sorts including a palm kernel crusher in Enugu, took advantage of the party’s policy to participate in the 2023 general election, for which many of them won their elections.
“These deserters did not win because of their pedigree or financial muscles but simple because of the ticket they ran on and by the grace of millions of people that vowed to see the end to the ‘entitlement mentality’ of a few cabal.
“Nigerians invested their tears and blood; their all to see these changes, entrusted their future on these neophyte lawmakers hoping that they will represent them well, but sooner than they were initiated into the cabal club with N160 million limousine and other pecuniary allowances running into hundreds of millions, they easily derailed.
“It would be recalled that a Labour Party Women Leader in Kaduna State, Victoria Chintex was assassinated in 2022 while working for candidates of the party in the state including one Okada rider, Donatus Mathew, who eventually won as a member of the House of Reps for Kaura constituency. In his case, he said he defected because he is the sole Labour Party member in the whole of Northwest region and not because the party is in any crisis. Hon Mathew practically spit on the grave of late Chantex and disrespected thousands of party members in Kaduna who toiled to elect him into position of power.
“This is why the party, arising from a recent unfortunate activity, did say that ‘the beautiful ones are not yet born’.” Obiorah recalled.
Meanwhile, Labour Party called on Nigerians to bring an end to what itnm described as ‘Jumpology’ ideology; jumping from one party to the other, in disregard to the enabling laws and without any ideological leaning.
It further called for the isolation of the political merchants and opportunists by snubbing, affronting and rejecting them in future polls having exhibited grave level of character deficit by betraying public trust.