Some Labour Party House of Assembly Members in Anambra State are reportedly warming up to defect to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) .
Anambra People gathered that these members are already in discussions with APGA party hierarchy and are following the recent trend of defections witnessed in neighboring Enugu State, where House of Assembly members elected on the Labour Party platform had joined the ruling party, the PDP.
According to an insider source within APGA, the purpose behind this political move is for the ruling party in Anambra State to gain an advantage and unsettle opposition parties.
“This is a matter of ego for APGA due to their defeat in the last House of Representatives rerun elections, where they lost a seat in Ekwusigo Federal Constituency.
Since then, APGA has been striving to make a comeback before the next election in order to demonstrate their capacity to strike a political deal and win back the voters confidence. The defection of Labour Party members presents a valuable opportunity for them” the source confirmed.
The source also revealed that some Labour Party House of Assembly members have already openly started expressing support for the governor’s projects, which has caused dissatisfaction among party officials.
He said, “the discontent among these Labour Party Assembly Members stems from the leadership crisis within the Labour Party at the national level.
“Also ,there is the matter of survival for these Assembly Members. They have grown tired of being in opposition because it has started to impact their performance negatively. The governor has made it clear that he will only support legislators from APGA and warned that opposition lawmakers are only there for their salary. To ensure their relevance and to attract the dividends of democracy to their constituencies, these members have decided to be less critical of the governor in the short term and mull in the long run to finally join APGA so they can win reelection”.
While the exact number of defectors remains undisclosed, reports suggest that a significant portion of the Labour Party’s representation in the Anambra State House of Assembly will be affected. This potential exodus has the power to greatly reshape the balance of power in the assembly, with implications for governance in the state.
Meanwhile, some leaders within APGA have embraced and welcomed this move as a positive development. They said they are ready to provide supportive platform for the defectors, which will allow them to contribute their experience to advancing the party’s agenda.
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