… Insists defected lawmakers have vacated their seats
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to promptly initiate the process of organizing new elections in the 27 State Constituencies of Rivers State.
This appeal comes in response to the vacancies left by the voluntary departure of “27 former (Rivers) state lawmakers” who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on behalf of the PDP, its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, in a press statement in Abuja on Monday, which was made available to MUK TV, insisted that the defected lawmakers have willing vacated their seats.
He emphasized, “The PDP asserts that by defecting from the PDP, the political Party platform on which they were elected into the Rivers State House of Assembly, the seats of the respective 27 former lawmakers have become vacant by virtue of the provision of Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”
Highlighting the constitutional stance, Ologunagba reinforced the point: “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…”
He further clarified, “By reason 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.”
In line with constitutional adherence, the PDP urged the Speaker of the Rivers State House Assembly to declare the seats of the 27 former lawmakers vacant.
Expressing the necessity arising from these vacancies, Ologunagba stated, “In view of the vacancy now exiting 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.”
The PDP cautioned the defected lawmakers against posing as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, emphasizing the legal implications of such actions and lauded Rivers people for their unwavering democratic commitment.
“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 PDP commends the people of Rivers State for their steadfastness and loyalty to Democracy and Rule of Law especially at this time.”
