The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has formally informed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the 25 vacant seats in the Rivers House of Assembly.
Twenty-seven lawmakers, reportedly loyal to the immediate past governor, Nyesom Wike, left the party on Monday for the All Progressives Congress (APC), with two returning to the PDP.
A day later, the PDP requested Edison Ehie, speaker of the Rivers assembly, to declare the lawmakers’ seats vacant immediately.
The party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on Wednesday urged INEC to conduct elections in the affected constituencies, basing its demand on Section 109 (1) of the constitution outlining grounds for losing a parliamentary seat.
Following a Wednesday meeting, the PDP stated, that the Party communicates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by formally informing the Commission of the vacancies in the Rivers State House of Assembly as a result of the defection of the 25 now former members, who by Section 109 (1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) vacated their seats by their action.”
The statement continued, Thee Party officially demands that INEC should within the Constitutionally stipulated time, conduct a fresh election in the 25 State Constituencies in Rivers State where vacancies now exist in the Rivers State House of Assembly as a result of the defection of the 25 now former members.”
The PDP directed the National Legal Adviser to initiate appropriate legal action concerning the declaration of the seats of the 25 defected former members vacant and the conduct of fresh elections into the 25 State Constituencies in Rivers State, by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
According to the PDP, every necessary step in a democracy must be taken to ensure the votes and mandate of the people of the 25 State Constituencies in Rivers State are protected and not appropriated under any circumstance whatsoever.
