Senator Kelvin Chukwu
Senator Kelvin Chukwu, who represents Enugu East Senatorial District, has officially defected from the Labour Party (LP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing internal discord, leadership crises, and a lack of strategic direction within his former party.
Chukwu’s decision was conveyed in a formal letter read on the Senate floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Wednesday’s plenary session.
In the letter, Senator Chukwu explained that the move came after wide-ranging consultations with his constituents, political allies, and stakeholders across Enugu State.
> “It is a reflection of my commitment to aligning with a platform that works,” Chukwu stated.
“I believe I’ll do better and represent the collective interest of my people better. I’ll bring more dividends of democracy; I’ll meet the aspirations of the good people of Enugu East Senatorial District and Nigerians at large.”
*LP no longer reflects Its founding values*
He cited growing disillusionment with the Labour Party, stating that recent developments had severely undermined the principles upon which it was built.
> “Internal wrangling, leadership crises, policy disagreements, lack of cohesion, direction and focus at both the state and national levels have made it increasingly difficult for me to effectively discharge my duties as a lawmaker,” he said.
Senator Chukwu emphasized that the APC offered a more structured and inclusive political platform that aligns with his vision for good governance, economic progress, and national unity.
> “I am convinced that APC provides a more stable, progressive, and inclusive platform for achieving our shared goals—economic growth, good governance, national unity, social development and progress for Nigeria,” he noted.
He pledged to continue serving the people of Enugu East and Nigerians with “integrity, diligence and patriotism.”
Reactions: Praise from APC, Pushback from the Minority
Reacting to Chukwu’s defection, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele applauded the trend of lawmakers switching to the APC, saying it was a reflection of confidence in the ruling party and President Bola Tinubu’s leadership.
> “What is happening is not just by accident,” Bamidele said.
“The APC-led government is working. The economy has risen from the floor where it had been. The prices of goods in the market are showing that this government is working.”
Senate President Akpabio, while welcoming Chukwu, took a jab at the disarray within opposition parties.
> “The PDP is on the ground; the umbrella is torn, the Labour Party is scattered,” Akpabio said.
“Please put your house in order. I have been looking at the way you are getting depleted on a daily basis and I am in total sympathy with what is going on.”
Despite the growing number of defections, Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro maintained that the opposition remains strong and can still hold its ground.
> “No matter the number that are here [in the opposition], we are capable of holding our own,” Moro said.
He, however, questioned the depth of Chukwu’s so-called consultations prior to switching sides.
> “Mr President, when it was announced that he was going, and he said he had made adequate consultations, I asked the question: who have you consulted? Because he didn’t talk to me,” Moro added.
“Our politics are local. My brother came here on the ‘Obedient Movement’; he came here on the sympathy vote because an accident happened. That is a story for another day.”
With Senator Chukwu’s defection, the APC now holds 73 seats in the Senate, further consolidating its dominance in the upper legislative chamber.
NAN
