Defection: LP drags defectors to court, wants seats declared vacant

By Jude Opara, Abuja

Apparently irked by the gale of defection of its elected parliamentarians, the Labour Party (LP) has initiated moves to have the seats of the defectors declared vacant.
This is coming on the heals of yet another defection by one of its members, Hon. Akangbe Illiya representing Jos South/Jos East federal constituency of Plateau state.
In a statement on Thursday, National Publicity Secretary (NPS) of the party, Obiora Ifoh described the development as another shameful display of greed and betrayal of the people of the constituency and the party.
Ifoh, further took a swipe at the leadership of the House of Representatives for allegedly accepting defectors into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) instead of upholding the letters of the Nigerian constitution.
“The leadership of the Labour Party again received with dismay news of the betrayal of the people of Jos South/Jos East by Mr. Akangbe Illiya, a man whom the Labour Party and the people of Plateau State entrusted with their collective hopes and aspirations for a just and equitable society through legislation.
“Hon. Illiya who just engraved his name on the Labour Party ‘Hall of Shame’ Register has brought dishonour to himself through this action.
“While it is true that the constitution guarantees citizens the right to freedom of association, the constitution qualifies such rights regarding the membership of political parties.
“The law does not protect an individual who steals the mandate of a people and a political party to run into another without first surrendering the mandate he deceitfully acquired.
“This defection, like similar ones before it is quite unfortunate and condemnable because 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 jumps ship.
“It is unnecessary probing why most of the defectors chose the All Progressives Congress (APC) as their destination point and why the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abass has refused to respect the provisions of the constitution by declaring their seats vacant.
“However, those politicians who have chosen to abandon the people at this crucial time in their lives are the ones who deserve pity because they have exposed themselves as unworthy of our collective trust going forward”.
The statement added that the party has already filled suits in court challenging the defections.
“The Party has since filled actions in the court to compel the National Assembly leadership to declare the seats of the defected Labour Party lawmakers vacant. The suit also seeks that every salary, emolument or privileges received, from the date of defection, be returned”, the statement concluded.
It could be recalled that recently another set of four members of the party in the House of Representatives equally defected to the APC.