Labour Party is currently embroiled in a serious crisis as 21 Lawmakers have dumped the party amid rising internal turmoil.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Labour Party (LP), once celebrated as Nigeria’s fastest-growing political movement, is now battling for survival as no fewer than 21 elected lawmakers have defected from its ranks since the conclusion of the 2023 general elections.
According to Naija News, within just 12 months, the LP has suffered a wave of resignations, defections, and internal dissent, raising serious concerns about its viability ahead of the 2027 polls. This mass exodus is seen as a major setback for a party that stunned many by winning seats in the Senate, House of Representatives, and state assemblies off the back of Peter Obi’s popularity in 2023.
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However, what seemed like a political revolution has quickly unraveled. Political analysts and party insiders attribute the crisis to internal wrangling, weak leadership, a lack of ideological clarity, and the failure to consolidate its initial gains.
The first major blow came in July 2024, when Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi (Imo East) defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), setting off a domino effect across the LP’s legislative structure.
Soon after, five members of the House of Representatives jumped ship:
Chinedu Okere (Imo)
Mathew Donatus (Kaduna)
Bassey Akiba (Cross River)
Esosa Iyawe (Edo)
Alfred Iliya Ajang (Plateau)
Rep. Dalyop Chollom from Plateau also defected, escalating the crisis. Enugu State, once a Labour Party stronghold, has been hit particularly hard. Six members of the Enugu State House of Assembly defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing disillusionment with party leadership and internal instability:
Ejike Eze
Johnson Ugwu
Pius Ezeuwa
Amuka William
Osita Eze
Princess Ugwu
Three federal lawmakers from Enugu; Dennis Agbo, Chidi Obetta (both to PDP), and Sunday Umeha (to APC), also left the party, alongside state lawmaker Malachi-Okey Onyechi, who joined the PDP.
Two prominent senators; Ireti Kingibe (FCT) and Neda Imasuen (Edo South) also parted ways with the LP. The tally of defectors was capped by the recent resignations of Reps Chimaobi Atu and Paul Nnanchi from Enugu in mid-2025.
The full list of defectors spans several states including Imo, Kaduna, Cross River, Edo, Plateau, Enugu, and the FCT, with most joining the APC or PDP. Their reasons ranged from lack of internal party structure, weak leadership, and political survival ahead of 2027.
Labour Party Reacts
In response, the LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiorah Ifoh, announced that the party is compiling a ‘Hall of Shame’ featuring the names of all defectors and will initiate legal action based on Section 68(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which prohibits defections not caused by internal party division.
“These defections are a betrayal of the electorate,” Ifoh said, emphasizing that the defectors were not motivated by party failure but by political opportunism.
Analysts Point to Structural Failures, Personality Politics
Political analyst Prof. Kamilu Sani Fage observed that the Labour Party’s 2023 gains were largely driven by Peter Obi’s personal appeal rather than a solid party framework.
“Labour Party existed long before, but it was Obi’s presence that gave it national relevance. Without structure, the momentum was unsustainable,” he said.
Fage warned that unless Obi retains his influence or runs again, the party may completely collapse.
Fears Over Obi and Otti’s Possible Exit
Speculation is growing over the potential exit of Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti from the LP. Observers warn that if both leaders abandon the party, it could spell the end of the LP as a national political force.
With the African Democratic Congress (ADC) emerging as a possible platform for opposition realignment, the LP’s status as a third force appears increasingly uncertain.
Beyond the Labour Party, analysts say the wave of defections reflects the fragility of Nigeria’s political party system.
“In Nigeria, politicians have no ideological base, their only ideology is survival,” Ifoh noted.
Prof. Fage echoed similar concerns, warning that the defection trend could erode democratic competition.
“This isn’t natural political migration. Some are enticed, others are coerced. Either way, it undermines opposition politics and democracy itself,” he said.
