The Peoples Democratic Party PDP and the Labour Party LP suffered fresh political blows on Wednesday following the defection of two members of the House of Representatives to the All Progressives Congress APC.
Honourable Okolie Lawrence, who represents Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Oshimili North, and Oshimili South Federal Constituency of Delta State, formally announced his departure from the Labour Party. He cited the need to align with the ruling party to better deliver governance to his constituents.
Similarly, Honourable Akingbaso Olanrewaju, representing Idanre and Ifedore Federal Constituency of Ondo State, left the PDP, attributing his move to internal crises within the party. Olanrewaju stated that his decision was driven by a desire to embrace the ideology of the APC and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
“I am aligning myself with the APC’s ideology and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu,” he declared.
The defection of Olanrewaju triggered a protest from the Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, who raised a point of order challenging the legitimacy of the defection. Chinda argued that there was no internal crisis within the PDP that would warrant a defection under constitutional provisions.
Speaker of the House, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, acknowledged the point of order but opted to proceed with the day’s legislative business without further deliberation on the matter.
These latest defections add to a growing wave of opposition lawmakers shifting allegiance to the APC, a development that continues to bolster the ruling party’s influence in the lower chamber of the National Assembly.
Beyond the House of Representatives, similar realignments have been witnessed in the Senate, where some lawmakers have also defected to the APC. The trend extends beyond the legislature, with serving governors and other high-ranking political figures also abandoning opposition platforms.
This widening pattern of defections has sparked concern among political observers and civil society groups over the possibility of Nigeria drifting toward a one-party dominant system, potentially weakening the democratic landscape and reducing the effectiveness of checks and balances in governance.
