Sunday Umehia, a member of House of Representatives elected on the platform of Labour Party (LP) has defected to the ruling All Progressives CongressAPC.
Umehia, who represents Ezeagu/Udi federal Constituency of Enugu state said he was leaving the LP because of the protracted crisis that has given rise to three different factions laying claim to the leadership of the party in his letter of defection read at plenary by the Speaker Abbas Tajudeen.
Umehia said Senator Nenadi Usman, Barrister Julius Abure and Alhaji Lamidi Apapa have continued to lay claim to the leadership of the party, while members are at a loss as to who they should defer to.
He said he has resolved to join the APC and team up with the President and the leadership of the APC to provide leadership for the country and the South East in particular.
The Nation reports that minority leader, Kingsley Chinda, said the constant defection of legislators is making a mockery of democracy in the country, saying the practice in the National Assembly appears confusing. He said the time has come to take another look at the constitutional provision on defection and amend it to safeguard democracy in the country, while asking the Speaker to exercise his constitutional power to declare the seat of the defectors vacant.
He also stated that the the leadership crisis in the Labour Party can no longer be relied upon for defection because the Supreme Court judgement has settled the issue.
He also drew attention of the House to its standing order, especially as it deals with the leadership of House standing committees which provides that leadership of committees are appointed on party basis.
He said those who have defected should be made to vacate their leadership position in committees, while the parties they should be allowed to nominate a replacement for them.
