PDP moves to replace 27 lawmakers who defected to APC in Rivers

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to take action against its members in the Rivers State House of Assembly for defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

On Monday, December 11, 2023, 27 members of the assembly elected on the platform of the PDP dumped the party for the APC.

According to the letters written to the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, the lawmakers cited division in the PDP as the reason for their defection.

Their defection is also believed to be connected with the lingering scuffle between the Governor of the State, Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who despite being a PDP member accepted a ministerial appointment from the ruling party.

Ahead of the 2023 general election, Wike picked Fubara as his successor and also reportedly bought the nomination forms for him and other PDP members who contested for political offices in the state.

But a few months after the election, Fubara who served as an accountant under Wike's government fell apart with his political godfather.

This situation prompted lawmakers loyal to Wike to initiate an impeachment move against the governor, but the move divided the state's assembly into factions with the Speaker, Amaewhule leading one group while the House Leader, Edison Ehie, leads another.

However, while reacting to the lawmakers' defection, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, maintained that the party would reclaim its seats from its members who defected to the APC.

In an interview with ThePunch, Ologunagba disclosed that the PDP would write the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, to demand a fresh election to replace the 27 members.

"We will write to INEC tomorrow to make our position known," he said.

He added that the PDP would explore all options to get the lawmakers replaced even if INEC fails to grant the party's request

"You cannot pre-empt our steps and our party. We know the law and we understand it. We will take a state at a time. What I can assure you is that the PDP will explore all options," Ologunagba said.

The party's spokesperson had earlier in a statement maintained that the defection of the 27 lawmakers constitutionally means their seats in the House have become vacant.

Quoting Section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, Ologunagba said, "A member of a House of Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if ... (g) being a person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by a political Party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected."

Meanwhile, a former PDP spokesperson, Kola Ologbodiyan, believes the defection of 27 lawmakers in Rivers won't affect the opposition party.

In a tweet on Monday, the party chieftain said the PDP had overcome more dangerous challenges, adding that the people are the power of the party.