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At rock bottom, 21 lawmakers have so far abandoned the once-praised Nigeria’s fastest-growing political movement, the Labour Party (LP), since the conclusion of the 2023 general elections.
StartSmart Nigeria gathered that the party is now tackling a harsh political reality, an alarming defection of 21 elected lawmakers within just 12 months.
The gesture of forbearance, party switches, and internal discontent have cast a dark shadow over the LP, raising serious concerns about the party’s future ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Despite the popularity of its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the Labour Party stunned the nation by securing seats across the Senate, House of Representatives, and several state assemblies.
But that rise has quickly unravelled, with defections that cut across the political map.
Analysts and insiders blame the turmoil on intra-party wrangling, the absence of a strong ideological identity, weak leadership, and a failure to consolidate early gains.
The first major crack came in July 2024, when Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi (Imo East) defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
His departure proved to be the trigger for what would become a domino effect, exposing deep fractures in the party.
Soon after, five members of the House of Representatives followed suit:
- Bassey Akiba – Cross River State
- Mathew Donatus – Kaduna State
- Esosa Iyawe – Edo State
- Alfred Iliya Ajang – Plateau State
- Chinedu Okere – Imo State
More Lawmakers Jump Ship
Eventually, Rep. Dalyop Chollom (Plateau) also exited the party, deepening the sense of crisis.
StartSmart Nigeria reports that the situation worsened further in Enugu State, a region once considered an Labour Party stronghold.
In a major blow, six lawmakers from the Enugu State House of Assembly defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP):
- Ejike Eze
- Amuka William
- Pius Ezeuwa
- Johnson Ugwu
- Princess Ugwu
- Osita Eze
Their reasons included loss of confidence in the party’s leadership, direction, and internal cohesion.
Federal Lawmakers from Enugu Follow Suit
By early 2025, the trend worsened with three House of Representatives members from Enugu State dumping the LP:
- Dennis Agbo – defected to PDP
- Chidi Obetta – defected to PDP
- Sunday Umeha – defected to APC
Adding to the tally, Malachi-Okey Onyechi, a member of the Enugu State Assembly, also joined the PDP.
Senators Kingibe and Imasuen Exit LP
Two high-profile exits occurred with Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Senator Neda Imasuen, representing Edo South, departing the party, further depleting the LP’s presence in the Senate.
The list was rounded up by two more House of Reps members from Enugu who formally resigned in mid-2025: Chimaobi Atu and Paul Nnanchi.
Naija News reports that the 21 lawmakers, spanning Imo, Kaduna, Cross River, Edo, Plateau, Enugu, and the FCT, among others, have either joined the APC or PDP, citing various justifications, including a lack of structure, alignment with the centre, and the need for survival ahead of 2027.
Below is the complete list of the 21 Lawmakers who have dumped the Labour Party:
- Ejike Eze – Enugu State Assembly
- Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi – Imo East
- Chinedu Okere – Reps, Imo
- Mathew Donatus – Reps, Kaduna
- Bassey Akiba – Reps, Cross River
- Esosa Iyawe – Reps, Edo
- Pius Ezeuwa – Enugu State Assembly
- Johnson Ugwu – Enugu State Assembly
- Sunday Umeha – Reps, Enugu
- Amuka William – Enugu State Assembly
- Osita Eze – Enugu State Assembly
- Alfred Iliya Ajang – Reps, Plateau
- Dalyop Chollom – Reps, Plateau
- Princess Ugwu – Enugu State Assembly
- Dennis Agbo – Reps, Enugu
- Chidi Obetta – Reps, Enugu
- Neda Imasuen – Senator, Edo South
- Malachi-Okey Onyechi – Enugu State Assembly
- Ireti Kingibe – Senator, FCT
- Chimaobi Atu – Reps, Enugu
- Paul Nnanchi – Reps, Enugu
Party’s Reaction
Responding to the wave of resignation, Obiorah Ifoh, the Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, said the party had begun compiling the names of defectors for inclusion in a ‘Hall of Shame’.
He said they would pursue legal action based on Section 68(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which prohibits defections not rooted in division within a party.
“We have instructed our legal team to initiate proceedings. These defectors are betraying the voters’ trust,” Ifoh said in a statement released recently.
He insisted that the defections were not due to failure on the part of the LP, but rather driven by political expediency.
Analysts Blame Peter Obi-Driven Hype Without Structure
Political analyst, Prof. Kamilu Sani Fage, noted that the LP’s success in 2023 was based more on Peter Obi’s personality than on a strong, nationwide party infrastructure.
“Labour Party is one of Nigeria’s oldest parties, but it was Peter Obi’s entry that brought national attention. Without institutional structure, the momentum was always going to be short-lived,” Daily Trust quoted the analyst as saying.
Fage warned that without Peter Obi running again or retaining popularity, the party may completely disintegrate.
Fears Over Possible Exit of Obi and Alex Otti
There are rising concerns that both Peter Obi and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, may soon leave the party, which could spell political doom.
StartSmart Nigeria reports that its exit, analysts say, would be the final nail in the coffin.
With the African Democratic Congress (ADC) now emerging as the adopted vehicle for a new opposition coalition, the LP’s role as a viable third force is fading fast.
Beyond the Labour Party, analysts say the trend of politicians jumping ship exposes Nigeria’s weak party culture.
“In Nigeria, where there are politicians without a clear ideology, their only ideology is survival,” Ifoh said.
On his part, Fage warned that the mass defection to the ruling party could suppress electoral competition and reduce the quality of Nigeria’s democracy.
“This kind of defection is neither natural nor healthy. Some are enticed, others threatened. But it endangers the role of the opposition,” he said.
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