The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reiterated its stance that former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), have lost their seats.
The party emphasized that it is not under any pressure to alter its position.
The PDP stated that the lawmakers, who defected on December 11, 2023, were no longer members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from that date.
In response to social media reports suggesting a potential compromise, the PDP firmly denied any such intentions. “Our party therefore stands by its position that the affected members have since lost their seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly having arrogantly committed an unpardonable constitutional breach,” declared Debo Ologunagba, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary.
The PDP, through its National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, clarified in its counterclaim filed at the Federal High Court Abuja (Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1681/2023), “For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP in its Counter Claim by its National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1681/2023 filed at the Federal High Court Abuja stated clearly that the former Rivers State lawmakers ‘are no longer members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from December 11, 2023 when they publicly announced their defection from the PDP to the APC’.”
The party further emphasized that numerous judicial decisions from the highest courts in Nigeria support their position.