The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the defection of 27 lawmakers in the Rivers House of Assembly to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP demanded that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should immediately commence the process of conducting fresh elections in the 27 State Constituencies.
This was contained in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, and made available to newsmen on Monday.
The main opposition said the fresh election was required as the seats had become vacant because of the defection of the PDP lawmakers to APC.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 109 (1) of the 1999 Constitution provides 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…”
“By reason of the above Constitutional provision and its clear interpretation by the Supreme Court, the 27 defected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have vacated and lost their seats, rights, privileges, recognition and obligations accruable to members of the Rivers State House of Assembly,” the statement read in part.
The PDP, therefore, urged the Speaker of the Rivers State House Assembly to immediately comply with the provisions of the Constitution by declaring the seats of the 27 lawmakers vacant.
