TheCable

Six Labour Party (LP) lawmakers in the Enugu state house of assembly have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Uche Ugwu, the speaker of the house, announced the defection of the lawmakers while reading their letters at the plenary on Thursday.

The defectors are Johnson Ani, the majority leader representing Enugu north, Ejike Eze, chief whip representing Igbo-eze north 1 and Princess Ugwu, deputy chief whip representing Enugu south rural.

Others are Pius Ezugwu representing Nsukka east, Williams Amuka representing Igbo-Etiti west, and Osita Eze of Oji river.

NAN reports that the lawmakers in their letters, said the defection was due to irreconcilable division and incessant crises within the party at the national level and across all the state chapters.

The lawmakers said the LP had evolved into perpetual discord with various factions embroiled in legal battles, which undermined its ability to effectively serve the interest of the people.

They said the party, “once considered a beacon of hope for progressive ideas”, has “regrettably become synonymous with internal squabbles”.

The defectors cited the factions of Julius Abure and Lamido Apapa laying claim to the leadership of the LP and the recent allegations of financial misconduct made by the national treasurer as some of the divisions within the party.

The lawmakers said they believed that the PDP would give them the platform to continue to serve the interest of the people.

On his part, the speaker welcomed the defectors into the PDP and promised that they would be carried along in the legislative activities of the house.

With this development, the PDP now has the majority in the house with 17 members, while the LP has six.