The Labour Party (LP), which surged to prominence during Nigeria’s 2023 general elections as a rising third force, is now battling a crippling crisis after losing no fewer than 21 lawmakers within 12 months.
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From the Senate to the House of Representatives and down to state assemblies, defections have steadily drained the party’s ranks, casting doubt on its stability and future ahead of the 2027 polls.
The wave began in 2024 when Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi (Imo East) defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), triggering a cascade of exits. Several House members, including Chinedu Okere (Imo) and Mathew Donatus (Kaduna), followed suit by joining the APC. Meanwhile, six lawmakers in the Enugu State House of Assembly defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing loss of faith in the LP’s direction.
By early 2025, defections intensified with multiple federal and state lawmakers from Enugu and other states quitting the party for both APC and PDP. Notable among them were Ireti Kingibe, the LP’s sole senator from the Federal Capital Territory, and Senator Neda Imasuen of Edo South.
Experts link these developments to a deeper malaise within the party, which failed to build a strong institutional structure after the 2023 electoral success largely credited to Peter Obi’s personal appeal. The ongoing leadership tussle between National Chairman Julius Abure and factional leader Senator Nenadi Usman has fractured the party’s national executive and sown confusion.
“The party’s rise was too dependent on Peter Obi’s popularity rather than organisational strength,” political analyst Professor Kamilu Sani Fage observed. “Without a robust structure and ideology, the LP is vulnerable to internal sabotage and external interference.”
In response, the Labour Party has vowed to fight back through legal channels. National Publicity Secretary Obiorah Ifoh revealed that the party has begun documenting defectors and initiated lawsuits to reclaim seats under the provisions of Section 68(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which allows parties to reclaim mandates from defectors who leave without a formal party split.
“The defections are not a failure of the party but reflect the opportunism in Nigerian politics,” Ifoh said, lamenting the weak party ideology that drives politicians to prioritise survival over loyalty.
The defections are not unique to the LP; the main opposition PDP has also suffered similar losses. Analysts warn that the trend, which often favors the ruling APC, may be fuelled by inducements or intimidation, threatening the vibrancy of Nigeria’s democracy.
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