Labour Party member of the House of Representatives, Daniel Chollom, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing unresolved leadership crises within his former party. Chollom announced his decision in a letter read during Tuesday’s plenary by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, expressing his intent to collaborate with President Bola Tinubu to foster national development.
Chollom stated that the internal disputes within the Labour Party created uncertainty about which faction to support, hindering his ability to represent his constituents effectively. He added that his defection was driven by a commitment to delivering democratic dividends to the electorate.
Opposition Criticism
Chollom’s move was met with sharp criticism from Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda, who accused him of bypassing due process. Chinda argued that Chollom should have first resigned from the Labour Party at the ward level and presented evidence to the House before defecting. He called for Chollom’s seat to be declared vacant, in line with constitutional provisions.
Deputy Minority Whip George Ozodinobi also condemned the defection, asserting that it undermines the Labour Party’s credibility. “These defectors lack ideological conviction and are depriving the House of quality representation,” he said, urging the APC to be cautious in trusting such members. Ozodinobi reiterated the demand for Chollom’s seat to be vacated and vowed to pursue all necessary actions to achieve this.
The defection reignites debates over party loyalty and the legal grounds for retaining parliamentary seats after switching political affiliations.
