The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagun, has requested that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conduct a bye-election to fill the vacant seats left by pro-Wike lawmakers in Rivers State, following their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Damagun’s request was outlined in a letter he sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Certified True Copy of this letter is dated November 13, 2024. In the correspondence, Damagun detailed the circumstances surrounding the lawmakers’ defection and emphasized the need for timely action to ensure that the legislative representation in Rivers State is not compromised.
The spokesperson for the Opposition Lawmakers Coalition, Ikenga Ugochinyere, made the letter publicly available to journalists during a press conference held in Akokwa, Imo State, on Sunday.
The letter is titled, “DEMAND FOR IMMEDIATE CONDUCT OF FRESH ELECTION IN 27 STATE CONSTITUENCIES OF RIVERS STATE WHICH HAVE BECOME VACANT PURSUANT TO SECTION 109(1)(g) OF THE CONSTITUTION”.
The letter drew the Commission’s attention to the “unlawful” defection of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, which occurred on December 11, 2023.
In the correspondence, the letter argued that this mass defection violated existing electoral laws and undermined the integrity of the legislative process.
According to the letter, going by provisions of the Constitution, the lawmakers are no longer members of Assembly.
The PDP acting chairman therefore urged the Commission to performs its constitutional duties and begin the process of conducting fresh elections to fill the vacancies created in the 27 state constituencies by the unlawful act of the former Assembly members.
Parts of the letter read, “The Leadership of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wishes to draw the attention of the Commission to the gross violation of Section 109 (1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) by 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly following their unlawful defection from our Party, the PDP who sponsored their elections to the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Monday, December 11, 2023.
“The Commission may recall that our Party, the PDP nominated all our 32 State House of Assembly candidates in Rivers State for the 2023 General Election on the 7th of July 2022 via your electronic candidate election nomination portal (See attached acknowledgement).
“The Commission may also recall that following the nomination, the Commission conducted election into the Rivers State House of Assembly on the 18th of March, 2023 and our Party won 32 seats in the state Assembly. The elected State House of Assembly members were inaugurated and sworn-in on June, 2023.
“However, on Monday, 11 December, 2023 a period of just six (6) months after inauguration, 27 out of the 32 members publicly announced their defection from our Party to the All Progressive Congress (APC). This defection is a gross violation of Section 109(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As amended).
“The only two grounds of division and merger provided for in the Constitution that permit such defection is completely non-existent in our political Party. It therefore means that the defections of the 27 members are without lawful excuse and these members have vacated their seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly by the operations of Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution.
“In view of the foregoing, we hereby demand that the Commission performs its constitutional duties and begin the process of conducting a Fresh Election to fill the vacancies created in the 27 State Constituencies by the unlawful act of the Assembly members. Find attached the list of the 27 State Assembly Members and their Constituencies.
“While thanking the Commission for its commitment to deepening democracy in our country, please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”