By Mercy Aikoye
A significant shift has occurred in the political landscape of Nigeria’s House of Representatives. Eight lawmakers have defected from their respective parties to join other political parties. Six members from Delta State, including the oldest member of the House, Hon. Mutu Nickolas, have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Hon. Mutu Nickolas, who has been a member of the House since 1999, was joined by Victor Nwokolo, Thomas Ereyitom, Nnamdi Ezechi, Julius Pondi, and Ukodhiko in defecting to the APC. According to the defected members, unresolved disputes in the PDP at both national and zonal levels were the reason for their defection.
In another development, two members of the House of Representatives from Enugu State, Hon. Mark Obetta and Hon. Dennis Nnamdi, have defected from the Labour Party (LP) to the PDP. The defected members cited the performance of the Enugu State governor and divisions within the Labour Party as reasons for their defection.
The defected members were welcomed to their new parties by the respective caucus leaders. The APC caucus leader welcomed the six defectors from Delta State, while the PDP caucus leader welcomed the two defectors from Enugu State.
The defections have brought changes to the numerical strength of the parties in the House of Representatives. The APC has gained six new members, while the PDP has gained two new members. The Labour Party, on the other hand, has lost two members.
The defections are a testament to the dynamic nature of Nigerian politics, where politicians often switch parties in pursuit of better opportunities or due to disagreements with their former parties. The impact of these defections on the legislative business of the House remains to be seen.
