In a significant political shift ahead of the February 2026 Area Council elections, ward executives of the Labour Party in Gwarinpa, Federal Capital Territory, have formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The defectors cited internal disunity and prolonged neglect by the party’s national and state leadership as key reasons behind their departure.
The Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, Christopher Maikalangu, and the APC Chairman for Gwarinpa Ward, Hon. Adamu Yunusa, officially received the new members, commending them for what they described as a wise political move.
“I congratulate you all for this bold step that you have taken to come and join the progressive party,” Maikalangu stated. “This decision you have taken is the best, and it has shown that you mean well for AMAC by supporting continuity.”
He further assured the defectors of their full inclusion and active participation within the APC structure.
“I want to assure you all that you will not regret this decision. You will be carried along in everything that we will be doing in the party, together we will move AMAC to greater heights,” he promised.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Hon. Johnbosco Ezenwaka, a former LP councillorship aspirant for Gwarinpa Ward, declared their decision as both timely and strategic.
“We have ‘laboured’ enough and now we want to progress politically,” Ezenwaka said.
He praised the developmental strides of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and highlighted the Labour Party’s lack of direction and internal crises as contributing factors to their exit.
“The Labour Party is no longer in the FCT; nobody is talking about the party, up until now, INEC has not uploaded the name of our candidate for the coming election.
Also, someone cannot be doing the same thing every time and expect a different result. This is the time for us to think about our political future, that is why we decided to join the progressive party,” he explained.
Also speaking at the event, former LP chairman in Gwarinpa Ward, Dr. Emeka Aloysius, expressed frustration over what he described as a disconnect between elected officials and the party’s grassroots members.
“I don’t know the office of the House of Representatives member elected on the platform of the LP. We have never been invited by the Senator representing the FCT. It is sad.
They made so many unfulfilled promises to the people in the ward since they were elected, and I do not work like that,” he stated.
According to party insiders, the mass defection is expected to significantly strengthen the APC’s grassroots presence in Gwarinpa Ward and further consolidate Chairman Maikalangu’s position ahead of the forthcoming local elections.
