Six members of the Enugu State House of Assembly elected on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) have officially announced their defection to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.
The lawmakers announced their defection on the floor of the House during plenary on Thursday.
The defectors stated that their defection was as a result of the “existence of irreconcilable division, incessant crisis within the Labour Party at the national level and across all the state chapters.
“Regrettably, the party has evolved into state of perpetual discord with various factions embroiled in legal battles, thereby undermining its ability to effectively serve the interest of the people.
“The Labour Party once a beacon of hope for progressive ideas have regrettably become synonymous with internal squabbles, thereby reducing its capacity to fulfil the aspirations of electorate.”
They cited the national leadership tussle between the factions of Julius Abure and Lamidi Apapa as well as the national treasurer as some of the crises within the opposition party.
They expressed hope that the PDP will give them the platform to continue to serve the interests of their people and thanked the leadership of the Labour Party for their support.
The defectors include the Chief Whip of the House and member representing Igboeze North I, Hon. Ejike Eze; the leader of the House and member representing Enugu North, Hon. Johnson Ugwu; the member representing Enugu South Urban, Hon. Princess Ugwu.
Ohers are: member representing Nsukka West, Hon. Pius Ezeugwu; member representing Igbo-Etiti East, Hon. Amuka Williams, and member representing Oji River, Hon. Osita Eze.
The motion for their defection was moved by Rt. Hon. Iloabuchi Aniagu and was seconded by Rt. Hon. Jane Eneh.
But, the spokesman of the Enugu State House of Assembly, who was elected on the platform of the Labour Party, Harrison Ogara, said though the lawmakers have freedom of association, they should know that there is a section of the Constitution that states that any member of a political party that defects to another political party without fulfilling the constitutional provisions for defection will automatically lose his or her seat.
Ogara insisted that there was no crisis at ward, local government, and state levels of the party in Enugu State as well as the national level of the party that would have warranted them to defect to another political party.
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