The political turmoil in Rivers State escalated on Wednesday as the state government tore down the House of Assembly complex. Additionally, Speaker Edison Ehie, a supporter of Governor Fubara, announced the expulsion of 27 lawmakers who switched allegiance from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), as reported by PUNCH....CONTINUE READING
The state government defended the demolition of the Assembly complex, consisting of approximately six buildings, including the main chamber, citing its uninhabitability following the October 30, 2023, explosion and fire incident.
Meanwhile, as the chamber demolition progressed, four legislators aligned with Governor Siminalayi Fubara, led by factional Speaker Edison Ehie, conducted a session at the Government House in Port Harcourt. During this session, they approved the governor’s presented 2024 budget into law.
During the session, Ehie issued a statement declaring the seats of the 27 defectors vacant, citing Section 109 (1) (g) and 2 of the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as the basis for his action.
Recall that just on Monday, 27 House members announced their defection from the PDP to the APC, attributing their move to divisions within the former party.
Responding to the motion to declare the defectors’ seats vacant, Ehie said, “This House received correspondents in notices, communications, including letters from 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly of their formal defection from the PDP to the APC.”
The Speaker clarified that while lawmakers have the right to switch parties, the House retains the authority to uphold the Nigerian Constitution.
According to the Constitution, defection is permissible only in the presence of a division within the original party under which the legislator was elected.
Emphasizing the absence of such division in the PDP, the Speaker asserted that the defectors violated the Constitution, resulting in the automatic vacation of their seats in the House.
He continued: “We are aware that there is no division or crisis in our great party, the PDP, and therefore the provision of Section 109 Sub-1 Paragraph g of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, attracts a vacation of the seats of these honourable members of the House.”
“Consequently, distinguished colleagues, the House having deliberated formally on the Asamotion before it in line with our standing order and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I hereby declare the seats of the affected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly vacant.”
He stated that the House will officially notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the empty seats, prompting fresh elections within the legal timeframe.
Meanwhile, the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) announced on Wednesday that the party’s Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, has been instructed to initiate suitable legal measures against the defectors.
Additionally, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, revealed that the party has officially informed INEC about the vacancies in the Rivers State House of Assembly resulting from the defection.
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