The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) suffered fresh political blows on Wednesday as two members of the House of Representatives—Okolie Lawrence and Akingbaso Olanrewaju—officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Okolie Lawrence, who represents the Aniocha North/Aniocha South/Oshimili North/Oshimili South federal constituency of Delta State, announced his departure from the LP, stating that his decision to join the APC was aimed at bringing governance closer to his people.
In a similar move, Akingbaso Olanrewaju, the representative for Idanre/Ifedore federal constituency of Ondo State, dumped the PDP. He cited a prolonged internal crisis within the party as his primary reason for switching allegiance, adding that he now aligns with the ideology of the APC and President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
However, Olanrewaju’s claims of a PDP crisis were swiftly challenged on the floor of the House by Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda, who raised a point of order insisting that no such crisis exists within the party. Speaker Tajudeen Abbas acknowledged the objection but proceeded with the legislative session.
These defections add to a growing wave of opposition lawmakers decamping to the APC, a trend that has significantly bolstered the ruling party’s dominance in the House of Representatives and raised alarm within opposition circles.
Similar movements are being witnessed in the Senate, with some governors and prominent politicians also abandoning their former parties. The increasing shift toward the APC has sparked concerns about Nigeria drifting toward a one-party state.
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