The Rivers State House of Assembly has officially declared the seats of the 27 members who recently switched allegiance from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress vacant.
These lawmakers, who aligned with Minister Nyesom Wike, defected from their former party during a period marked by attempts to impeach Governor Sim Fubara.
At the session where the declaration was made, the absent 27 legislators were not in attendance.
Under the leadership of factional Speaker Edison Ehie, who remains loyal to the state governor, the four-member Assembly declared the seats vacant, citing compliance with Section 109 (1) (g) and 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.
The Speaker, while announcing the affected lawmakers’ names, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh elections within the stipulated legal timeframe to fill these 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.
