With their seats declared empty, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has requested the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hold new elections to replace the twenty-five former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.Following an emergency meeting of the PDP's National Working Committee (NWC) on the political developments in Rivers State, Umar Iliya Damagum, the party's acting national chairman, made this statement.
The 25 members may run for new nomination and reelection on the platform of any political party, according to a statement from Damagum.
According to him, this complies with the Federal Republic of Nigeria's 1999 (amended) Constitution and the 2022 Electoral Act.
Last week, lawmakers who were reportedly close to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike defected from the PDP and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The legislators explained that their decision to join the ruling party was due to internal PDP dissension.
The schism over control of the state's political system between Rivers State governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, is thought to be the reason behind the MPs' desertion.
According to Damagum, the legislators "voluntarily and without justification left their positions, fully conscious of the ramifications of defecting from the Party that supported their election to the Rivers State House of Assembly without meeting the requirements outlined in the 1999 Constitution."
"To be clear, there isn't any disagreement within the PDP at the national or any other level that would account for the 25 ex-members of the Rivers State House of Assembly quitting the Party," stated Damagum.
"Therefore, in compliance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022, they vacated their seats for reasons best known to them and cannot return to the House of Assembly."
According to the interim national chairman of the PDP, the seat of the now-former defectors was officially proclaimed empty by Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly Edison Ehie, in accordance with Section 109 (1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
He emphasized that the former lawmakers cannot be re-admitted by the Rivers State House of Assembly unless a new election is held, as the Assembly has assumed the role of Functus Officio in this subject.
Damagum cautioned the ex-members against falling for anyone in Abuja who gives them false optimism that they may retake the Rivers State House of Assembly without holding new elections.