The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun to caution the 27 ousted members of the Rivers State House of Assembly against actions that could disrupt Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration.
In a press statement on Wednesday, PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba noted that these lawmakers, who had pledged allegiance to former Governor Nyesom Wike, openly defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ologunagba cited the 1999 Constitution, stating that their defection disqualifies them from holding legislative positions in the assembly, and therefore, they lack the authority to convene or issue directives to the governor.
Ologunagba, in the statement, said, “The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for the umpteenth time, cautions the former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who lost their seats upon defection from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) @OfficialAPCNg to desist from actions and utterances that are capable of disrupting peace and governance in the State.
“The Party counsels the former lawmakers to wake up to the reality that they are no longer members of the Rivers State House of Assembly by virtue of the self-executory provision of Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and as such cannot gather or issue any notice to the State Governor in the capacity of members of Rivers State House of Assembly,” he explained.
According to the party’s national spokesperson, the caution followed the former lawmakers’ purported seven-day ultimatum issued from an unknown location to the governor to re-present the 2024 state’s budget already passed and signed into law.
Ologunlagba said the action by pro-Wike lawmakers’ seeking to assume the powers of the state assembly “is apparently with the intension to cause crisis, undermine and disrupt the Democratic and Constitutional Order in the State in clear violation of Section 1 sub-section 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”
“Having irretrievably lost their seats upon their defection from the PDP, the political Party platform upon which they were elected into the Rivers State House of Assembly, they cannot enjoy the powers, rights, privileges, recognition and obligations of members of the Rivers State House of Assembly,” Mr Ologunagba insisted.
The party, therefore, charged the IG “to note the subversive action of these former lawmakers and take immediate action to protect the Institution of Democracy, peace and security in Rivers State.”
He also urged the state’s residents to stay vigilant, uphold the law, and collaborate towards maintaining stability, peace, and the delivery of democratic benefits under the party’s leadership.
