Alfred Illiya Ajang, the representative for the Jos South and East Federal Constituency, moved from the Labour Party (LP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). With Illiya’s switch from the LP to the ruling APC, the number of federal legislators abandoning one of Nigeria’s major opposition parties continues to rise.
During Thursday’s plenary, the now-defected member wrote a letter to Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas claiming that his defection was due to the Labour Party’s crisis.
The content of the letter caused some lawmakers to raise their eyebrows, causing the House to enter a raucous session.
Speaking up, Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda claims the letter should be rejected because it violates the House’s constitution.
He stated that before any letter is read, any member who desires to leave must notify his party members and constituents on the platform on which he was elected.
Chinda contended that “the letter should not be accepted because this requirement hasn’t been fulfilled.” However, the speaker disregarded the observation.
Simon Lalong, a current senator and former minister of labour and employment, was at the House of Representatives building to observe the defection and offer his colleague support.
In order to allow Lalong to represent the Plateau South senatorial constituency, the House has previously suspended its norms.
Adding to the growing number of federal lawmakers abandoning one of Nigeria’s major opposition parties is his defection from the LP to the ruling APC.
Dalyop Chollom, a congressman from the Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency, left the LP a few days ago to join the APC. He gave the party’s problems as justification.
Citing arguments inside the Labour Party, four members of the House of Representatives switched from the LP to the ruling party a few weeks ago.
The LP declared their activity was unlawful and threatened legal action after they defected.
