A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Chimaobi Sam Atu, representing Enugu North and South Federal Constituency, has officially defected from the Labour Party (LP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Atu’s defection was announced in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, and read during Thursday’s plenary session. He cited unresolved internal crises within the Labour Party at both national and state levels as the primary reason for his departure.
The lawmaker noted that the party’s internal wrangling had undermined its ability to deliver focused leadership to his constituents. He expressed gratitude to the Labour Party for the platform it offered during his political journey but said he had to “move forward.”
“I have therefore moved to the All Progressive Congress effective today,” Atu declared. “This decision was necessitated by the persistent internal crisis plaguing the Labour Party, both at the national level and within the state chapter, which has hindered the party’s capacity to provide the focused leadership my people deserve.”
Atu also lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, especially for its attention to the Southeast region. He specifically praised the proposed Southeast Development Commission and pledged alignment with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
His move comes amid a wave of defections ahead of the 2027 general elections. On Tuesday, two other lawmakers — Prof. Paul Nnamchi of Enugu East/Isi Uzo Federal Constituency (Labour Party) and Peter Akpanke of Obanliku/Obudu/Bekwarra Federal Constituency (PDP) — also joined the APC.
