Toba Owojaiye reporting
Abuja, Nigeria
Hon. Sunday Cyriacus Umeha, representing the Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency of Enugu State, has officially defected from the Labour Party (LP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The announcement was made during a plenary session of the House of Representatives, where Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read Umeha’s letter of defection.
Born on February 20, 1983, in Akama Oghe, Ezeagu, Enugu State, Umeha pursued his early education locally before obtaining a law degree from Enugu State University in 2007. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2009. His legal career commenced at Anthony Ani SAN & Associates, and in 2020, he established his own law firm, SCAV Umeha & Co, specializing in election petition, land, and constitutional law.
Truth Live News gathered that Hon Umeha’s political journey began in 2012 when he was elected as a Councilor for Akama-Amankwo Ward in Ezeagu Local Government Area under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Although he sought the PDP nomination for the Enugu State House of Assembly in 2015, he was unsuccessful. In the 2023 general elections, Umeha secured a seat in the House of Representatives on the LP platform, defeating Dr. Festus Sunday Amaechina Uzor. He serves as the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Justice and is a member of the Constitution Review Committee.
In his defection letter, Umeha cited the ongoing internal crisis within the LP, marked by multiple factions claiming leadership, as the primary reason for his departure. He expressed concern over the unresolved leadership tussle involving Senator Nenadi Usman, Barrister Julius Abure, and Alhaji Lamidi Apapa. Umeha stated that the confusion over the party’s leadership has left members in disarray, prompting his decision to join the APC and align with President Bola Tinubu’s administration to advance the interests of the country and the South East region.
The defection has drawn criticism from opposition lawmakers. Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda condemned the trend of lawmakers switching parties, describing it as a threat to Nigeria’s democratic integrity. He called for a constitutional review to clarify and restrict the grounds for defection and urged the Speaker to invoke his constitutional authority to declare seats of defecting lawmakers vacant.
Chinda also argued that the Supreme Court had resolved the LP’s leadership crisis, nullifying any justification for defection on that basis. He reminded the House of its standing rules concerning committee leadership, which are assigned based on party affiliation, and called for defecting lawmakers to relinquish their committee positions.
Umeha’s defection is part of a broader pattern of political realignments in Enugu State. In December 2024, the LP lost several House of Representatives members to the APC, including Esosa Iyawe (Edo), Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Matthew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), and Daulyop Fom (Plateau). Similarly, the PDP lost Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu (Delta) to the APC.
The LP has described these defections as unfortunate. National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh announced the creation of a “Hall of Shame” to document the names of those who have, in the party’s view, dishonored their mandate. The party plans to approach the Speaker of the House of Representatives to declare the seats of the affected lawmakers vacant, in line with relevant sections of the constitution.
Hon. Sunday Umeha’s defection underscores the ongoing volatility within Nigeria’s political landscape, particularly within the Labour Party. As the 2027 general elections approach, such realignments may significantly impact the political dynamics in Enugu State and the broader South East region.