Defection: ‘I complied with constitution, my seat not vacant’ – Ibori-Suenu files affidavit

The lawmaker representing Ethiope East/West Federal Constituency of Delta State, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, has said that her defection to APC complied with the relevant sections of the constitution, hence there was no need for PDP to declare her seat vacant.

This is just as she filed an affidavit to support her originating summon, listing her reasons for dumping the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Deposing the affidavit at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja recently, the lawmaker listed the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Clerk of the House and PDP as defendants.

She said her purpose for leaving the 3rd defendant was as a result or protracted crises in the party.

Her reasons

Ibori-Suenu said: “For over a year, the 3rd defendant has been enmeshed in a series of unresolved leadership crises at the national, which crisis has driven the party into two implacable camps.

“The 3rd defendant (PDP) started grappling with the internal strife before the 2023 presidential election, particularly after the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, primaries conducted for the election of the party’s presidential candidate.

“Upon the selection of the party’s vice presidential candidate for the presidential election in 2023, the internal disputes in the political party deepened resulting in division amongst the National Working Committee and creation of the (G-5). That is, Nyesom Wike, Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Seyi Makinde and Okezie Ikpeazu (then governors of Rivers, Benue, Enugu State, Oyo and Abia states, respectively).

“Following the decision of a High Court which restrained lyorchia Ayu from acting as the party’s national chairman, an Acting National Chairman was appointed for the party.

“But his appointment generated massive discontent, which further divided the party at the national level.

“However, the division in the national leadership lingered due to the continued stay of the Acting National Chairman of the Party and the inability of the party to convene a meeting of its National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting for consideration of a replacement for the substantive National Chairman of the Party in compliance with Article 45(2) and 47(6) of the PDP Constitution (amended in 2017).

“Attached and marked Exhibit IB 2 is the PDP Constitution (amended in 2017).10. On October I1, 2024, the 3rd Defendant’s National Working Committee was embroiled in series of suspension and counter-suspensions amongst the members of the National Working Committee of the party.

“PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, announced on behalf of a faction of the National Working Committee that the Acting National Chairman, Iliya Umar Damagum and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, were suspended with the National chairman being replaced by Alhaji Yayari Mohammed, the PDP national treasurer.

“The same October 11, 2024, a statement was released by the PDP National Director of Publicity, Chinwe Nnorom, that the National Working Committee of the PDP had suspended its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, and that the party has established a committee, led by Deputy National Chairman (South) Taofeek Arapaja, to investigate the concerns raised against the officers in accordance with the party’s Constitution.

“The division in the party is evident in the call by supporters of the party’s 2023 presidential
election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for the suspension of the former Rivers State Governor (and current Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) and some others in his camp for anti-party activities, while the forrmer Governor of Rivers State’s supporters had also made counter demands for disciplinary actions against the former vice president and his allies including Sule Lamido and Babangida Aliyu, former Governors of Jigawa and Niger states, respectively, amongst others, for anti-party activities.”
Ibori-Suenu said that her reasons for leaving the PDP complies with the relevant sections of the constitution, hence there was no need for her seat to be declared vacant.