Enugu Rep Sunday Umeha Dumps Labour Party for APC, Cites Leadership Crisis and Need for Constituency Integration

 

A significant political shift unfolded over the weekend as Honourable Sunday Umeha, the member representing Udi/Ezeagu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, officially renounced his membership of the Labour Party and declared allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The announcement came during a well-attended mini-rally hosted in Ibagwa-Aka, Igboeze South Local Government Area, where Umeha attributed his decision to the ongoing internal crisis within the Labour Party. Speaking before a crowd of supporters and political associates, the lawmaker expressed dissatisfaction with the Labour Party’s current leadership turmoil, which he said has made effective representation and governance increasingly difficult.

Umeha stressed that his primary motivation for switching to the ruling party stems from a desire to better serve his constituents by aligning with the federal government. He emphasized the strategic advantage of being politically connected to the center, especially at a time when national projects and developmental initiatives are mostly channeled through federally aligned actors.

“The opportunity to connect Udi and Ezeagu to the national grid of development cannot be ignored,” Umeha said. “Because of the need to connect to the centre and bring our people closer—there are a lot of advantages in plugging to the centre.”

He pointed to key infrastructural developments undertaken by the APC-led federal administration in the Southeast, including the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, and the Second Niger Bridge. These, he argued, stand as testaments to the ruling party’s commitment to regional development, which he hopes to leverage more effectively under his new political platform.

Supporters of the lawmaker welcomed the move with jubilation, while APC stalwarts and leaders used the occasion to project the growing appeal of the party within Enugu State. George Ogara, who represented Uche Nnaji—Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, and a prominent APC figure in the state—commended Umeha for what he described as a bold and forward-looking decision.

The state chairman of the APC, Ugochukwu Agballa, while receiving Umeha and his supporters into the party’s fold, reiterated the APC’s commitment to expanding its political dominance in Enugu State. He declared that the momentum was building toward the party’s takeover of the state government in the next electoral cycle.

“We are not just welcoming defectors; we are consolidating a movement,” Agballa said. “The APC is preparing to claim the Lion Building in 2027, and we are proud to receive people like Honourable Umeha who see the future and want to be part of it.”

As preparations mount for a larger rally in Ezeagu, which will mark Umeha’s formal induction into the APC, political watchers are assessing the implications of this defection for the Labour Party’s standing in Enugu State. Umeha’s departure comes amid a wave of uncertainty within the party, with several of its national and regional leaders locked in factional disputes following the 2023 general elections.

Although the Labour Party had made notable inroads in parts of the Southeast during the last elections, Umeha’s exit signals potential cracks in its foundation, especially if other lawmakers follow suit. For now, however, Umeha appears focused on the future, reiterating his intent to use his new platform to bring meaningful projects and federal presence to his constituency.

A larger celebration of his defection is expected to be held in Ezeagu in the coming days, further cementing his transition and boosting APC’s political presence in the region.