By Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu
Ahead 2027, some politicians and groups have begun realigning their political calculations.
In Enugu State, South-East Nigeria, for instance, the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the 2023 poll, Chijioke Edeoga, recently publicly returned to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Fast on his heels, the LP member representing Isi-Uzo constituency in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Eze Gabriel Lebechi, has also dumped the party for the PDP.
It is not known if these two moves will spark further domino effects within the LP after six of its lawmakers defected to PDP last month in a move which handed the majority to the ruling party.
Hon. Lebechi, who was elected under the LP platform in the 2023 general elections, announced his defection on the floor of the House during plenary on Tuesday.
In his letter which was read by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Uche Ugwu, the lawmaker expressed sadness about his decision but said it was “anchored on the existence of irreconcilable divisions, incessant crisis and factionality within the Labour Party at the National level and my state here in Enugu.”
Hon. Lebechi claimed further: “Regrettably, the party is now in a state of perpetual discord with various factions embroiled in legal battles, thereby undermining it’s ability to effectively serve the interest of the people.”
“The Labour Party, once a beacon of hope for progressive ideals, has, regrettably, become synonymous with internal strives, thereby diminishing it’s capacity to fulfil the aspirations of the electorates,” he noted.
Hon. Lebechi also pointed to the recent leadership conflicts between Barrister Abure Julius and Senator Nenadi Usman at the national level, as well as the dispute between Chief Ugwu Kingsley Chidera and Barrister Casmir Agbo in Enugu State, describing them as stark reminders of the party’s disunity.
He expressed confidence that within the PDP, he would have the supportive platform needed to continue contributing to the state’s development, and thanked his supporters for their understanding.
