The Rivers State House of Assembly has reiterated that there’s no going back for Martin Amaewhule and 26 other lawmakers who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Their seats remain vacant, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been urged to conduct by-elections to fill the positions
The lawmakers’ defection on December 11, 2023, automatically rendered their seats vacant, citing Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution. The Rivers State Attorney-General, Dagogo Iboroma, emphasized that no court has legitimized their membership, and they’re no longer recognized as lawmakers.
The defection fallout has seen Amaewhule and 26 others move from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to APC, sparking a political crisis in Rivers State. The Appeal Court’s judgment didn’t reinstate Amaewhule and others; the Rivers State government clarified that their seats remain vacant.
The INEC is expected to conduct by-elections to fill the vacant seats. The situation remains tense, with stakeholders calling for peace and stability in Rivers State. The APC Assembly Forum has also stated it doesn’t recognize the defected lawmakers as members
