Member representing Aba North and Aba South Federal Constituency, Alex Ikwechegh, has officially joined the Labour Party (LP) after dumping APGA.

Ikwechegh disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking with journalists after a closed-door meeting with Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, at his residence in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.

According to the federal lawmaker, his visit was to formally inform the governor of his decision and to receive his blessings as the party’s national leader in the state.

“I visited the governor this evening to receive his blessings. As you may or may not know, I have received my Labour Party card as a new member of the party,” Ikwechegh stated.

He confirmed that he had resigned from APGA before joining the LP, dismissing speculations that he had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) following his recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu.

Clarifying the circumstances of the meeting, Ikwechegh said he merely attended an Iftar event hosted by the President and that it should not be misconstrued as a political defection.

“There have been speculations that after I met with the President, I joined the APC. This is not true.

“We went to observe the Iftar with the President, and I appreciate him for that fatherly gesture,” he said.

Ikwechegh described politics as interest-driven, noting that perspectives often shape political alignments. He added that his admiration for Governor Otti’s performance and his belief in the governor’s leadership style influenced his decision to join the Labour Party.

According to him, the visible transformation in Abia State under Otti’s administration aligns with his political ideology, making the Labour Party the appropriate platform for him. He also commended the party’s leadership under Nenadi Usman and Darlington Nwokocha.

Ikwechegh urged Abia residents and Nigerians at large to register with the Labour Party, adding that an online registration link would soon be made available.

Also speaking, the member representing Isiala Ngwa North and South Federal Constituency and Leader of the LP caucus in the National Assembly, Ginger Onwusibe, welcomed Ikwechegh into the party.

Onwusibe disclosed that Ikwechegh resigned from APGA last week before formally joining the LP, noting that the caucus in Abuja had already received him prior to his presentation to the governor.

“As caucus leader, I came with him to demonstrate clearly that he is now a member of the Labour Party,” he said.

He described the defection as a major gain for the party and likened it to a football club signing a talented player, expressing confidence that Ikwechegh’s addition would strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 general election.