Rivers Assembly: Defecting members must face consequences- Group

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The Centre for Accountability and Good Governance has said defecting members of the Rivers State House of Assembly must face the consequences of their actions.

The centre, in a statement by its Director, Francis Nwogu, said Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution ( as amended), clearly states that a lawmaker who defects from the party that sponsored their election to another party is deemed to have vacated their seat.

Recall that 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, last December, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP) to the All Progressives Congregation ( APC).

Recently, a Rivers State High Court recognized Victor Oko Jumbo, who represent Bonny State Constituency emerged as the new Speaker of the state assembly.

Nwogu said : “defecting from the political party that sponsored their elections is a betrayal of the trust placed in them by their constituents. It undermines the democratic process and destabilizes the political landscape,” Nwogu added.

“We urge the relevant authorities to take swift and decisive action to punish these lawmakers for their anti-democratic behavior. This includes declaring their seats vacant and initiating legal proceedings against them.

“The Centre believes that holding elected officials accountable for their actions is essential for maintaining the integrity of our democracy. We will continue to monitor this situation and advocate for the rule of law and democratic principles.”