Convener of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Edwin Clark, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a by-election to fill the seats of defected lawmakers in Rivers state.
In an open letter addressed to INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, Clark said the defection of the lawmakers is a violation of section 109 (1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), noting that there is no crisis in the PDP.
The Ijaw leader noted that based on the provision of the Constitution, the lawmakers have vacated their seats, adding that the electoral body must see the Constitution as a ground norm.
Clark said the defected lawmakers are now moving from one court to another to save their sealed fate.
“The seats of the 27 former members of the Rivers state house of assembly have been vacant for a long time, more than one year after the former holders vacated, thus depriving the people of the affected constituencies of representation in the state house of assembly,” he wrote.
“INEC under your watch is yet to carry out its statutory function of conducting a by-election to fill the seats. By their actions, going by Section 109 1(g), those 27 persons have automatically and immediately, without reversal, lost their seats.
“Martin Amawhule and his colleagues are still parading themselves as members of RSHA, attempting to turn the issue on its head, that they did not defect. They are shopping from one court to the other for court judgments and rulings.
“I plead with the Chairman of INEC to, without delay, conduct a by-election to fill the vacant seats and give adequate representation to the people of the affected constituencies.”
The by-elections are to be conducted due to the death or resignation of members of the national and state houses of assembly.
