The Labour Party (LP) has assured that it will recover its mandate from the four lawmakers who defected from its platform to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The party also called on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to declare the lawmakers’ seats vacant, arguing that the lawmakers’ action contravenes section 68(g) of the 1991 Nigerian Constitution, as amended.
“The defection, to us, is quite unfortunate and we condemn the action which is irrational, untenable, inconsistent and alien to all known norms for which democracy stands,” the party stated.
Labour Party in a statement on Thursday, said it has been able to resolve its crisis through internal peace mechanism and judicial means, and therefore, the members have no reason to leave the party.
“It is, therefore, safe to say that there is absolute peace in the Labour Party.
“Therefore, no one elected on the ticket of the Labour Party has the constitutional protection to decamp from the party along with the party’s mandate,” the party stated.
It disclosed that it has instructed its legal team to commence the legal actions against the defectors, as well as commence the process of regaining the mandate given to the lawmakers in line with the 1999 constitution and 2022 Electoral Act, as amended.
“The party will also approach the Speaker of the House of Representatives to declare vacant the seats occupied by these former Labour Party members in line with the House Rules.
“It is inappropriate and unacceptable for these lawmakers to continue to function as representatives of their constituencies illegally,” the party said.
Labour Party announced the opening of a ‘Hall of Shame’ register for these lawmakers or any lawmaker or elected officer of the party who engages in fraudulent act of defection without first dropping the mandate gotten under the ticket of the party.
“We will call on Nigerians to beware of this genre of politicians lacking in clear democratic ideology and ethos …in disregard to the enabling laws and without any ideological leaning.
“If we really want this democracy to thrive, we must isolate these political merchants and opportunists and help bury their mercantilist political enterprise by snubbing and rejecting them in future polls having exhibited a grave level of character deficit by betraying public trust,” the party advised.
