Hide & Seek In Parliament: Labour Party Battles To Serve Court Papers As Six Defected Reps Dodge Legal Action

“We have tried several times to serve them court papers, but they continue to evade service. We may have no choice but to involve the Clerk of the National Assembly and publish their names in national newspapers,” LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, told Punch on Thursday.

The defectors include Ajang Iliya (Jos South/Jos East, Plateau), Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), Iyawe Esosa (Edo), and Daulyop Fom (Plateau). Iliya, who defected in December 2024, cited internal party crises and alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s policies as reasons for his departure.

Despite these setbacks, LP leadership remains confident in their legal position, dismissing the defectors as “paper-weight politicians” whose departure would not impact the party’s foundation. “We’ve won similar cases in the past, and they’re wasting their time in the APC. Most of them won’t return to the National Assembly, and those who do will be very few,” Ifoh stated.

The party maintains a pragmatic approach to political reconciliation, leaving the door open for potential returns, albeit with conditions. “In politics, you don’t close your doors, but it will be on our terms,” Ifoh explained.

LP’s National Youth Leader, Kennedy Ahanotu, expressed frustration with the current judicial system’s handling of defection cases. He advocated for expedited legal proceedings, suggesting that efficient courts could resolve such cases within two to three months, allowing for prompt special elections to select new representatives aligned with party principles.

“If the justice system functioned efficiently, defection cases could be resolved in two to three months, leading to a re-run for representatives who genuinely serve the party and the people,” Ahanotu concluded.