Despite the intervention of President Bola Tinubu to broker a truce in the ongoing political crisis between the warring factions of the state Governor, Sim Fubara, and minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, it appears there will be more hurdles to cross in the state as the Peoples Democratic Party has insisted that the seats of the 25 lawmakers that defected to the All Progressives remain vacant in the State House of Assembly.

President Tinubu met with all aggrieved parties to resolve the political schism in Rivers state, calling for peace and instructing all parties involved to fold their cards. Parts of the resolution made in an eight-paragraph agreement include the cancellation of plans to impeach the state governor by the Rivers State House of Assembly leadership, led by Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, and the 27 members who defected from the PDP. Although two out of 27 have reportedly moved back to the PDP

However, in a press conference held by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) today, the party insisted that there is no going back on its declaration that the 25 defected lawmakers do not have positions anymore in the state House of Assembly, maintaining that their defection amounts to nullification of their seats.

The PDP further explained that the president’s intervention was only giving false hope to the lawmakers who defected, noting that its recognised Speaker of the House of Assembly, Ehie Edison, has already declared their seats vacant and the president cannot change the position except a fresh election is conducted.

According to a statement signed by the party’s acting chairman, Amb. Umar Iliya Damagum, the lawmakers deliberately defected from the party without any, and as a result, they will bear the brunt of the constitutional consequences of their actions.

He therefore demanded that the Independent National Electoral Commission in accordance with Section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 84 (15) of the Electoral Act, 2022, fix a date for the conduct of fresh elections into the 25 State Constituencies in Rivers State where vacancies have occurred as a result of the defection of the lawmakers.

“The 25 former Rivers lawmakers freely and without any cause vacated their seats, being fully aware of the consequences of defection from the Party upon which they were elected into the Rivers State House of Assembly without the conditions stipulated by the 1999 Constitution.

“For the avoidance of doubt, there is no division in the PDP at the national or any other level for that matter to justify the defection of the 25 former members of the “Rivers State House of Assembly from the Party. They therefore vacated their seats for reasons best known to them and cannot return to the House of Assembly without passing through a fresh electoral process in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022.

“Our Party therefore counsels the former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly not to be deceived by anybody giving them the false hope and impracticable assurances in Abuja that they can return to the Rivers State House of Assembly without a fresh election or that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can be stopped from conducting fresh election into the 25 Rivers State Constituencies where vacancies have occurred by reason of their defection.

“For emphasis Section 84 (15) of the Electoral Act, 2022 is clear in providing that no Courts have powers to stop INEC from conducting elections wherever and whenever a vacancy occurs in any electoral constituency. For clarity Section 84 (15) of the Electoral Act, 2022 provides that

“Nothing in this section shall empower the Courts to stop the holding of primaries or general election under this Act pending the determination of the suit.”

“The PDP demands that INEC should, in line with Section 109 (1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 84 (15) of the Electoral Act, 2022, fix a date for the conduct of fresh election into the 25 State Constituencies in Rivers State where vacancies have occurred by reason of the defection of the now former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, pending the determination of any suit in any court”.