The Labour Party (LP) has lost another member of the House of Representatives to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), marking the sixth defection in the past two weeks.
Alfred Iliya, the member representing Jos South-Jos East Federal Constituency in Plateau State, defected to the APC on Thursday.
With his defection, Daniel Asama, the member representing Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, is now the only LP member in the House from Plateau State.
This follows the earlier defections of five LP members to the APC. Among them Rep. Dalyop Chollom, representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency in Plateau State, who defected on Tuesday.
The four others were Rep. Tochukwu Chinedu Okere (LP, Imo), Rep. Donatus Matthew (LP, Kaduna), Rep. Akiba Bassey (LP, Cross River), and Rep. Esosa Iyawe (LP, Edo), who all joined the APC last week.
The defection was announced by Speaker Abbas Tajuddeen during plenary, where he quoted a letter from Iliya in which the lawmaker stated his reasons for leaving LP.
According to the speaker, Iliya cited the persistent crisis within the party as his reason for joining the APC.
Reacting, spokesman of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, said the party has filed a suit before the court to compel the National Assembly leadership to declare the seats of the defected LP lawmakers vacant.
“The suit also seeks that every salary, emolument or privileges received, from the date of defection, be returned,” Ifoh said.
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