Labour Party Threatens Legal Action Against Ebonyi Lawmaker’s Defection

The Labour Party (LP) in Ebonyi State has announced plans to take legal action against Ifeanyi Ogba over his recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ogba, who won the 2023 general election under the Labour Party, represents Onicha East state constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly.

Chief Innocent Igiri, the publicity secretary of the Ebonyi State Labour Party, made this announcement during an enlarged stakeholders meeting held at the San Diego Hotel in Abakaliki on Thursday.

Igiri emphasized that the Labour Party owns the platform on which Ogba contested and won the election and vowed to reclaim their mandate.

He also declared that the party would not participate in the forthcoming local government elections, criticizing them as selective activities.

“The local government election in Ebonyi State is one group activity,” Igiri said. “We are encouraging the Attorney General of the Federation to continue efforts to ensure governors implement laws granting local government autonomy.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should be responsible for conducting local government elections for us to consider participating.”

Igiri further revealed that the Labour Party issued a disclaimer upon discovering unauthorized individuals purchasing nomination and interest forms.

He clarified that the Labour Party has no candidates in the upcoming local government elections in Ebonyi State.

“We made it categorically clear that we do not have any candidates for local government elections,” Igiri asserted, criticizing tactics used by some politicians to undermine the party’s credibility.

Despite recent defections to the APC, Igiri maintained that the Labour Party remains resolute.

“We are going to challenge the Labour Party House of Assembly member who recently defected to the All Progressive Congress in court because his mandate belongs to our party,” he affirmed.