On Monday, numerous members of the Labour Party (LP) in the South West region tore up their membership cards and defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in support of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s bid for the presidency in the upcoming February 25th election.
The defection was sparked by a meeting between Bashir Bashir, the LP’s governorship candidate in Kano, and Tinubu in Abuja just a few hours prior.
This wave of defections came just 48 hours after the conclusion of Obi’s political campaign tour, where he visited all 36 states of the federation and ended in Lagos.
Led by Banji Omotosho, the Southwest Chairman of the LP, the members collapsed their political structures and joined the ruling APC at an event held in Akure, the capital of Ondo state.
Their transition was facilitated by Dr. Dayo Adeyeye, the National Chairman of the South West Agenda For Asiwaju Tinubu (SWAGA) 2023, and other members of the support group.
At the event, Omotosho stated that LP leaders and members in the Southwest have decided to leave the party as it is not a viable platform to win the 2023 elections.
He specifically criticized Obi’s chances and stated that the LP presidential candidate “cannot win the February poll”.