The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been petitioned by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to hold fresh elections in each of Rivers State's 27 state constituencies.
The party demanded that INEC declare the seats of the 27 Rivers State Assembly members who defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a statement released on Monday.
As a result of the 27 lawmakers' exit from the PDP, the political party whose platform they were elected on, the PDP claims that "the seats of the 27 lawmakers have automatically become vacant under Section 109 (1)(g) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)."
"A member shall vacate their seat if they become a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which the House was elected," PDP national spokesman Debo Ologunagba, who signed the statement, quoted Section 109(1) of the Constitution. "The PDP emphasizes that the Supreme Court's clear interpretation supports the view that the defected members have forfeited their seats, rights, privileges, recognition, and obligations," the PDP stated.
The PDP urged the Speaker of the Rivers State House Assembly to immediately follow the Constitution by assigning the 27 former lawmakers' seats as vacant in light of these constitutional provisions.
The PDP requests that INEC hold new elections to fill the vacancies in the 27 State Constituencies of Rivers State within the time frame specified in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) Constitution.
The PDP advised the legislators not to pose as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, citing the possibility of impersonation charges and substantial legal consequences.
