UMUAHIA, NIGERIA — The member representing Ohafia North State Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mandela Obasi, has officially resigned his membership from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the Labour Party (LP) .
Obasi, a three-term lawmaker and one of the longest-serving members of the Abia Assembly, announced his defection in a letter addressed to the PDP ward chairman in his constituency .
In the letter, the lawmaker cited political realignment in the state and the need to be part of the mainstream political movement in Abia as reasons for his decision to join the Labour Party, which currently controls the state government under Governor Alex Otti .
Sources close to the lawmaker indicate that Obasi’s defection was influenced by the overwhelming support the Labour Party enjoys in Abia State and the need to attract more dividends of democracy to his Ohafia North constituents by aligning with the government at the centre in Umuahia .
Obasi’s departure is a significant blow to the PDP in Abia North, as he brings with him decades of legislative experience and grassroots support in Ohafia Local Government Area . His defection is expected to trigger further realignments in the state as politicians reposition ahead of the 2027 general elections .
The Labour Party has been on a massive recruitment drive across Abia State, capitalizing on Governor Otti’s popularity and the perceived weakness of opposition parties in the state . Several lawmakers and local government chairmen have defected from the PDP and other parties to the LP in recent months .
As of the time of filing this report, the PDP leadership in Abia State had yet to issue an official response to Obasi’s defection .
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