The Labour Party in Lagos State believes Nigeria’s complexity prevents it from becoming a one-party state, despite recent defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Sam Okpala, LP’s Lagos State Secretary, “Nigeria is an edifice that cannot submit to the whims and caprices of one political party. So, opposition parties will still remain.”
Okpala expressed confidence that opposition parties will thrive despite defections, citing Nigeria’s diversity and complexity.
He attributed the defections to politicians’ desire for power and lack of ideology, stating: “People belong to a political party not because they are in tune with the ideology, philosophy, and manifesto of that party.”
Okpala emphasized that Nigerian politicians prioritize personal interests over party loyalty, jumping between platforms for personal gain.
He said that until Nigeria democracy reaches full maturity and politicians begin to play politics the right way,” we will continue to see this”.
Meanwhile, some governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives and state houses of assembly elected on the platform of PDP and LP have dumped the parties for APC.
Recall that PDP’s Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State and Douye Diri of Bayelsa recently joined the growing number among other federal and state lawmakers.
The Akwa Ibom Gov. Umo Eno formally left the PDP and joined the APC in early June while Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta and his predecessor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, and all members of the PDP in Delta defected to the APC.
Similarly, aside recent defection of LP’s Sen. Kelvin Chukwu, representing Enugu East Senatorial District, to the APC, four members of LP Caucus in the House of Representatives defected to the ruling APC in December.
