Rivers Assembly Seats: The PDP has taken formal steps to address the recent defection of 27 lawmakers in Rivers State, Nigeria, who had pledged allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The PDP, on Wednesday, officially informed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the 25 vacant seats in the Rivers House of Assembly, following the mass defection. The lawmakers, reportedly loyal to the immediate past governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, had switched parties on Monday, with two of them later returning to the PDP.
In response to the political upheaval, the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) issued a statement, urging Edison Ehie, the speaker of the Rivers assembly, to declare the seats of the defected lawmakers vacant without delay. The NWC referred to Section 109 (1) of the constitution, which outlines the grounds for a legislator losing their seat, as the basis for their request. According to the party, the defection triggered a constitutional vacancy in the affected constituencies.
The PDP, after a comprehensive review of the situation in Rivers State during its meeting on Wednesday, communicated with INEC, formally notifying the electoral body of the vacancies. The party called on INEC to conduct fresh elections in the 25 constituencies affected by the defections, emphasizing the constitutional requirement for timely actions.
The official statement from the PDP read, “Direct the National Legal Adviser to commence appropriate legal action with respect to 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 in accordance with the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).”
Rivers Assembly Seats: The PDP is determined to safeguard the democratic process and ensure that the votes and mandates of the people in the 25 affected constituencies are protected. The party vowed to take every necessary step within the democratic framework to address the political developments in Rivers State and prevent any appropriation of the people’s votes under any circumstance.