Senator Kelvin Chukwu, representing Enugu East Senatorial District, has officially defected from the Labour Party (LP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made during Tuesday’s plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and was met with applause from several APC lawmakers.
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| Senator Kelvin Chukwu |
In a letter addressed to the Senate leadership, Senator Chukwu explained that his decision to dump the Labour Party stemmed from the party’s “tattered state” and the collapse of internal democracy.
“I am leaving the Labour Party because internal democracy has completely collapsed, and the party is in disarray,” he stated.
Chukwu, who was elected to the Senate under the LP platform in 2023, lamented that the party had failed to uphold the values and discipline that initially attracted reform-minded politicians like himself.
Reacting to the defection, Senate President Godswill Akpabio congratulated the senator for joining the APC, describing his move as a positive development for national unity and governance.
“I congratulate Senator Kelvin Chukwu for joining the APC. Let me assure you that Nigeria will not be a one-party state because INEC will continue to register more parties,” Akpabio said.
He further urged senators across party lines to work together in advancing Nigeria’s development and strengthening democratic institutions.
With Chukwu’s defection, the current composition of the 10th Senate now stands as follows:
- APC: 73 senators
- PDP: 28 senators
- Labour Party: 4 senators
- NNPP: 1 senator
- SDP: 1 senator
- APGA: 2 senators
This brings the total number of senators to 109, with the APC further consolidating its majority in the upper legislative chamber.
