Rivers Assembly Lawmakers Defection: PDP Vows To Seek Legal Redress

By Ayodele Oni

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has threatened to seek legal action against the legislators at the Rivers state House of Assembly that defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), few days ago.

The party condemned the latest defection announced by some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, describing the move as a “defection from APC to APC” and an assault on democratic integrity.

The Speaker of the assembly Martin Amaewhule, had on Friday led 15 other members of the House to announce their defection to the APC.

The House of Assembly is currently in session with the defectors blaming their departure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the crisis in the PDP.

According to report monitored on Channels Television, the major reason for leaving the PDP is because of the division in the party.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ini Ememobong, said the lawmakers had previously defected from the party, recanted their action, and have now “announced the same defection for the second time.

”We have seen on various media platforms news of the redefection of some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who, for a second time, announced their defection from our party.

“We recall that they had done so earlier and later recanted. These are people whom the world is aware are doing the bidding of their paymaster and demigod.”

He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.

“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress.

“They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”

The PDP Spokesperson added that the lawmakers’ conduct fits a pattern of political absurdity.

“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.

Ememobong announced that the party will deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.

“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform.”

He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.

“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Ememobong assured.