By Milcah Tanimu

The Rivers State House of Assembly has taken the decisive step of declaring vacant the seats of 27 members who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The defection of these 27 lawmakers, who were aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, occurred amidst ongoing efforts to impeach the state governor, Sim Fubara.

During the session where this announcement was made, the absent 27 lawmakers, who had defected, were not in attendance. The four-member Assembly, led by factional Speaker Edison Ehie, known for their loyalty to the state governor, invoked Section 109 (1) (g) and 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended to justify the decision to declare the seats vacant.

Speaker Ehie, while reading out the names of the affected lawmakers, emphasized that the declaration aligns with constitutional provisions. He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to promptly organize fresh elections within the stipulated legal timeframe to fill the vacant positions.

“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,” he declared during the session.