In a major political shift, the entire Enugu State caucus in Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Thursday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP).
Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, announced the defection during plenary after reading letters of resignation from the lawmakers, who cited internal crises in their former parties as the reason for leaving. The event was attended by Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah.
Before the defection, the Labour Party held seven of the state’s eight House seats, while the PDP controlled one. The switch now gives the APC full control of Enugu’s representation in the lower chamber.
Speaking to journalists after the announcement, Nnolim Nnaji, who represents Nkanu East/Nkanu West Federal Constituency and spoke for the defectors, said:
“Just come to Enugu and see what is happening there,” Mr. Nnaji said. “The governor is doing a lot for our people. We also want to bring our state to the center.”
“For too long, our dear Enugu State has remained in opposition, watching from the sidelines as others shaped the destiny of our nation,” he said. “That era is over. By aligning with the APC, we are connecting our constituency to the heartbeat of national development.”
Political observers say the move could strengthen the APC’s presence in the South-East, where it has long faced challenges.
The defectors include Martins Oke, Anayo Onwuegbu, Nnamdi Agbo, Nnolim Nnaji, and Mark Obetta.
The development is likely to alter Enugu’s political landscape ahead of the next election cycle.