PDP Urges INEC to Conduct Fresh Elections in Rivers State Amidst Lawmaker Defections.
In a bold move, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called upon the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to initiate the process of conducting fresh elections in the 27 State Constituencies of Rivers State. The demand stems from the perceived vacancy created when 27 former lawmakers willingly abandoned their seats by defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Read Also Declare seats of 27 PDP lawmakers vacant, order fresh election – LP to Speaker
Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, issued a statement in Abuja on Monday, emphasizing that the seats of the 27 lawmakers had become vacant in accordance with Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
The constitutional provision cited by Ologunagba states 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.
27 PDP Lawmakers Defect to APC, Accuse Gov Fubara
According to Ologunagba, the 27 defected members have, by constitutional interpretation, forfeited their seats, rights, privileges, recognition, and obligations as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. The PDP is now calling for the Speaker of the Rivers State House Assembly to promptly comply with the constitutional provision by declaring the seats vacant.
In light of the perceived vacancies, the PDP demands that INEC conducts fresh elections within the stipulated period under the Constitution to fill the voids in the 27 State Constituencies in Rivers State. The party issues a cautionary note, urging the former lawmakers to refrain from presenting themselves as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, as doing so could lead to charges of impersonation with serious legal consequences.
The PDP commended the people of Rivers State for their unwavering commitment to democracy and the rule of law, especially in the face of the current political developments. The call for fresh elections reflects the party’s dedication to upholding constitutional principles and ensuring a transparent democratic process in Rivers State.
