PDP Calls For Fresh Elections In Rivers Following Defection Of 27 Lawmakers To APC

The Peoples Democratic Party has formally requested the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organize new elections for the 27 seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The call comes after the lawmakers defected to the All Progressives Congress on Monday

This was made known in a press statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.

According to Kanyi Daily, the lawmakers cited internal divisions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the primary reason for their decision to defect to the opposition APC.

The affected lawmakers are said to be devoted to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

According to Ologunagba, the seats of the lawmakers who defected have become vacant because they contested elections under the party’s banner in their respective constituencies.

Citing the country’s constitution, he said, “The seats of the respective 27 former lawmakers have become vacant by the provision of Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)

“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 109 (1) of the 1999 Constitution provides that a member of a House of Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if … (g) being a person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by a political Party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected.

“Because of the above constitutional provision and its clear interpretation by the Supreme Court, the 27 defected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have vacated and lost their seats, rights, privileges, recognition, and obligations accruable to members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“The PDP, therefore, demands that the Speaker of the Rivers State House Assembly immediately comply with the provision of the Constitution by declaring the seats of the 27 former lawmakers vacant.”

He maintained, “Given the vacancy now existing in the 27 state constituencies in Rivers State, the PDP demands that INEC should, within the stipulated period under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), conduct fresh election to fill the vacancies.

“Our party cautions that the former lawmakers should stop parading themselves as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly as such would amount to impersonation with serious criminal consequences.”

The party urged the state’s residents to stand firm and uphold allegiance to democracy and the rule of law, particularly in these challenging times.

Kanyi Daily recalls that Twenty-seven lawmakers from the Rivers State House of Assembly had decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC).