Eriethake Ibori-Suenu, daughter of former Delta State Governor James Ibori and representative of Ethiope Federal Constituency, officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday. She was joined by four Labour Party lawmakers, citing internal crises within their respective parties as the primary reason for their decision.
The Labour Party members who switched allegiance include Tochukwu (Imo), Donatus Mathew—widely known as the “Okada rider” representative (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), and Iyawe Esosa (Edo).
The defection was formally announced during a House plenary session and witnessed by notable APC Senators, including Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Ede Dafinone (Delta), Thomas Joel-Onowakpo (Delta), and Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River).
In a letter presented on the House floor, the defectors attributed their move to ongoing crises within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party, arguing that these issues hindered effective governance and party unity.
However, their decision sparked controversy. Minority Whip Ali Isa called for the declaration of the five lawmakers’ seats as vacant, citing constitutional provisions. Meanwhile, Deputy Minority Whip George Ozodinoni dismissed claims of crises within the Labour Party, asserting that the defectors were merely seeking to discredit the party’s integrity.
The defections underscore the ongoing political realignments within Nigeria’s political landscape.
