Defected Reps Evading Court Papers, LP Laments
The Labour Party has said it is having difficulty serving court papers on the six members of the House of Representatives who dumped the party for the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The leadership of the party lamented that the Reps were evading the service of the court papers in order to frustrate the suit filed by the LP, seeking to declare their seats vacant.
The LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, and the party’s National Youth Leader, Kennedy Ahanotu, made this known on Thursday.
The party’s legal battle aims to recover the seats of the six defected Reps and secure the refund of all salaries and allowances they have received as lawmakers.
In December 2024, Ajang Iliya, the member representing Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency in Plateau State, announced his defection to the APC.
His defection raised the total number of lawmakers lost by the LP to six, joining Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), Iyawe Esosa (Edo), and Daulyop Fom (Plateau).
Iliya cited the crisis within the Labour Party and the need to align with the policies and developmental initiatives of President Bola Tinubu’s administration as reasons for his decision.
However, the party’s leadership dismissed these defectors as insignificant, describing them as “paper-weight politicians” who wouldn’t be missed by their supporters.
Ifoh expressed frustration over the evasive actions of the affected lawmakers, saying that after multiple failed attempts to serve court documents, the party would have no choice but to hand over the matter to the Clerk of the National Assembly and publish the names of the defectors in national newspapers.
He said, “But you know LP has taken one of our Ondo lawmakers to court in the past and he lost his seat. At that time, it was easy to get judgment. They are just going to the APC to waste their time as over half of them will not get return tickets. The remaining ones that get will lose the election. Those who may make it back to the National Assembly wouldn’t be more than two per cent.”
Obiora further stated, “We are also ready to receive them back should they make an attempt to return. In politics, you don’t close your door but it will be on our terms and conditions.”
Kennedy Ahanotu echoed these concerns, emphasising the frustrating delays caused by the defectors’ refusal to accept the court summons.
He lamented that the process is being prolonged and noted that Nigeria’s judicial system often prevents swift justice.
He said, “These people are running away from being served and it’s prolonging the process. There is always a window for the process to take its full place whether you want it or not. But I think our National Legal Adviser (Kehinde Edun) is on top of the matter.”
Ahanotu continued, “We hope at the end of the day, justice will be served. It is unfortunate that Nigeria has become a place where joining the ruling party makes some politicians untouchable. It is unfortunate that the people who protested injustice about 20-30 years ago are the same people who now oppress and deny the masses justice now that they are in power.”
He also added, “As a party, we are worried that the justice system may not quickly resolve the issue. And some of these lawmakers don’t even care because they feel they will serve out their tenure before justice will be served. It’s a very frustrating thing.”
Ahanotu concluded by saying, “If it were to be where the justice system is working efficiently and fast, the issue of deciding defection shouldn’t take more than two to three months so that there will be a re-run for another person to represent the party and his people.”
