The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organize bye-elections to replace 27 Rivers State lawmakers who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a letter dated November 13, 2024, Damagum referenced Section 109(1)(g) of the Nigerian Constitution, which stipulates that a lawmaker’s seat becomes vacant if they defect to another party without justifiable grounds.
He emphasized that the defectors had no valid reason for their move, as the PDP had not experienced any division or merger that could justify such defections.
“The defection of these lawmakers is both unlawful and unconstitutional. As a result, their seats are now vacant, and only a bye-election can restore representation in these constituencies,” Damagum asserted in the letter.
The correspondence was shared with journalists by Ikenga Ugochinyere, the spokesperson for the Opposition Lawmakers Coalition, during a press briefing held in Akokwa, Imo State.
Damagun’s appeal to INEC signals the PDP’s commitment to ensuring adherence to constitutional provisions and accountability in legislative matters.
Details later.
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