Labour Party heads to court, wants defectors’ seats declared vacant

The leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has said would go to court to seek an order declaring the seats of defectors from the party vacant

Obiora Ifoh, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, said this followed the defection of Akangbe Illiya, a member representing Jos South/Jos East, at the House of Representatives

The party had earlier said it was creating a Labour Party ‘Hall of Shame’ Register for the defectors

“This defection like similar ones before is condemnable.

“Section 68(g) of the 1999 constitution is emphatic on when to defect and what happens when a lawmaker sponsored by a political party decides to jump ship.

“It is unnecessary to probe why most of the defectors chose the All Progressives Congress (APC) as their destination point and why the speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abass has refused to respect the provisions of the constitution by declaring their seats vacant”

He noted that the party has since filed actions in the court to compel the National Assembly leadership to declare the seats of the defected Labour Party lawmakers vacant.

“The suit also seeks that every salary, emolument or privileges received, from the date of defection, be returned.”