{"id":6553,"date":"2023-12-19T19:45:24","date_gmt":"2023-12-19T19:45:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/moonraynews.com\/?p=6553"},"modified":"2023-12-19T19:45:25","modified_gmt":"2023-12-19T19:45:25","slug":"wike-fubara-crisis-takes-new-dimension-as-pdp-insists-defected-lawmakers-seats-remain-vacantinec-to-announce-date-for-fresh-elections-to-fill-the-vacant-seats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moonraynews.com\/?p=6553","title":{"rendered":"Wike\/Fubara Crisis Takes New Dimension As PDP Insists Defected Lawmakers\u2019 Seats Remain Vacant\u2026INEC To Announce Date For Fresh Elections To Fill The Vacant Seats"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has insisted that there is no shortcut for the 25 former lawmakers who lost their seats after defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This comes despite a recent directive from President Bola Tinubu seeking their reinstatement.

In a statement issued after an emergency meeting, the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) declared that the former lawmakers can only return to the Rivers State House of Assembly through fresh elections. 

Recall that Tinubu on Monday directed Governor Fubara to recognise Martin Amaewhule as Speaker and pay the salaries of the defected lawmakers.

However, the PDP said such a move isn\u2019t legal.

\u201cThe only option available for the former lawmakers is to seek fresh nomination and re-election on the platform of any political party of their choice,\u201d the statement said. \u201cThey freely vacated their seats, being fully aware of the consequences of defection without justification.\u201d

The PDP further clarified that the Rivers State House of Assembly, having declared the seats vacant, cannot re-admit the former members without a fresh election. They also dismissed claims that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can be prevented from conducting elections in the affected constituencies.

\u201cSection 84 (15) of the Electoral Act, 2022 is clear,\u201d the statement noted. \u201cNo court has the power to stop INEC from conducting elections wherever a vacancy occurs.\u201d

The PDP, therefore, urged INEC to proceed with fixing a date for fresh elections in the 25 constituencies, while assuring their party members to remain united and resolute in upholding the rule of law.

The development is the latest chapter in the ongoing political saga in Rivers State, fueled by the power struggle between Governor Nyesom Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The defection of 27 lawmakers, allegedly loyal to Wike, and the counter-declaration of their seats as vacant by Fubara\u2019s camp had plunged the state assembly into turmoil.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has insisted that there is no shortcut for the 25 former lawmakers who lost their seats after defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).  This comes despite a recent directive from President Bola Tinubu seeking their reinstatement. In a statement issued after an emergency meeting, the PDP National Working Committee<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6555,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[50],"tags":[518],"class_list":{"0":"post-6553","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-politics-2","8":"tag-wike-fubara-crisis-takes-new-dimension-as-pdp-insists-defected-lawmakers-seats-remain-vacantinec-to-announce-date-for-fresh-elections-to-fill-the-vacant-seats"},"yoast_head":"\nWike\/Fubara Crisis Takes New Dimension As PDP Insists Defected Lawmakers\u2019 Seats Remain Vacant\u2026INEC To Announce Date For Fresh Elections To Fill The Vacant Seats - Moon Ray News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/moonraynews.com\/?p=6553\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Wike\/Fubara Crisis Takes New Dimension As PDP Insists Defected Lawmakers\u2019 Seats Remain Vacant\u2026INEC To Announce Date For Fresh Elections To Fill The Vacant Seats\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has insisted that there is no shortcut for the 25 former lawmakers who lost their seats after defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).  This comes despite a recent directive from President Bola Tinubu seeking their reinstatement. 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