In a major political shake-up in Enugu State, the Labour Party (LP) has lost its grip on Igboeze South Local Government Area as over 1,000 members, including key stakeholders, dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Leading the defection was Hon. Sunday Umeha, the House of Representatives member representing Udi/Ezeagu federal constituency. Umeha announced his defection during a mini rally held at Ibagwa-Aka, in Igboeze South.
Joining him was Chief Joshua Ogbonna, a prominent Labour Party financier popularly known as “Father Father”, who led the mass defection of party executives and supporters across the council.
Umeha revealed that although the rally was outside his constituency, he attended in solidarity with Chief Ogbonna. He disclosed that his official reception into APC would hold in his local government, Ezeagu, in the coming days.
Having resigned from LP and registered at his APC ward, Umeha blamed internal crises at both state and national levels for his exit. He cited a need to “connect to the centre” and said APC had better served the South-East than the PDP, pointing to projects like the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, Enugu-Port-Harcourt road, and the Second Niger Bridge.
APC Leaders Celebrate Historic Defection
Barr. George Ogara, who represented the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, hailed the development as unprecedented. He encouraged party members to stay united, declaring that APC was on track to reclaim power in Enugu.
Enugu APC chairman, Barr. Ugochukwu Agballah, described the event as a total collapse of the Labour Party’s local structure. He accused PDP of inflicting hardship on residents through over-taxation, land grabbing, and unnecessary demolitions.
“This is not just defection, it is redemption,” Agballah said, while welcoming the defectors and presenting them with APC’s symbol, the broom.
He added, “With this broom, we’ll sweep in good governance and sweep out the forces that have held our people hostage for 26 years. APC is the Zion train of Enugu, it’s time for real change.”
Chief Joshua Ogbonna, speaking for the new entrants, revealed that attempts were made to block their defection, including the seizure of hired buses. However, the defectors found alternative transportation and stormed the venue.
“We’re more than 1,000 today, and we’re ready to take this movement ward by ward. Igboeze South will lead this change,” Ogbonna declared.
