The 27 legislators who switched from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) have had their seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly declared vacant.
Speaker of the House Edison Ehie declared the seats vacant.
The declaration was made by the Speaker on Wednesday during a meeting held in the makeshift venue that Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara had provided.
Ehie stressed in a clear and unwavering manner that there is no PDP conflict that would cause any member of the House to defect.
He added that the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 Constitution, as amended, sections 109 (1) (g) and 2 authorized the decision to declare the seats vacant.
In order to ensure the people’s proper representation, he demanded that the Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC, hold new elections to fill the open seats.
He said,
“Distinguished colleagues, the House will duly inform the Independent National Electoral Commission of the vacancies in the Rivers State House of Assembly and indeed, to conduct a fresh election to fill the above vacancies.”
The 27 lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, were absent at Wednesday’s sitting.