PDP insists on declaring 26 defected Rivers lawmakers’ seats vacant

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Thursday insisted that the 26 Rivers House of Assembly lawmakers who left the party for the All Progressives Congress, APC, were no longer members of the state legislature.

PDP National Legal Adviser, Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN, told newsmen shortly after Justice Donatus Okorowo of a Federal High Court, Abuja, adjourned the embattled lawmakers’ suit until Jan. 24, 2024.

Ajibade said though President Bola Tinubu might have waded in the dispute between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, the party stood by what the constitution says on defection.

“PDP, as a party, is standing on the side of the constitution of the country.

“It is not about issues of an agreement because, by the constitution, we are all sworn to uphold it.

“The governor himself swore to uphold the constitution, as did the president.

“I am not against the president calling for the resolution of the matter. He is the chief security officer of this country, and he has every right to intervene in the issue.”

According to the senior lawyer, aside from that, the constitution of the country is very clear; Section 109 (1g) is clear as to issues of detection.

He added that the affected lawmakers had not denied that they had not been detected.