PDP Demands Seats of 26 Rivers Lawmakers Declared Vacant After APC Defection

• The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) insists on declaring vacant the seats of 26 Rivers House of Assembly lawmakers who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
• PDP National Legal Adviser emphasizes the party’s commitment to upholding the constitution regarding defection, despite President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the dispute between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
• The Federal High Court in Abuja adjourns the lawmakers’ suit until Jan. 24, 2024, as the PDP argues that the affected lawmakers had not denied their defection, citing Section 109 (1g) of the constitution.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has insisted that it wants the seats of 26 Rivers House of Assembly lawmakers declared vacant.

The party made the statement on Thursday.

Recall that the lawmakers left the party for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

According to PDP, the lawmakers were no longer members of the state legislature.

PDP National Legal Adviser, Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN, told newsmen shortly after Justice Donatus Okorowo of a Federal High Court, Abuja, adjourned the embattled lawmakers’ suit until Jan. 24, 2024.

Ajibade said though President Bola Tinubu might have waded in the dispute between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, the party stood by what the constitution says on defection.

“PDP as a party, we are standing on the side of the constitution of the country.

“It is not about issues of an agreement because, by the constitution, we are all sworn to uphold.

“The governor himself swore to uphold the constitution, likewise the president.

“I am not against the president, calling for the resolution of the matter. He is the chief security officer of this country and he has every right to intervene in the issue.”

According to the senior lawyer, aside from that, the constitution of the country is very clear; Section 109 (1g) is clear as to issues of detection.

He added that the affected lawmakers had not denied that they had not detected.