The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Barrister Ehie Edison, has officially declared vacant the seats of 25 lawmakers who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). This announcement was made during the proceedings of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly.
The defection of 27 members from the PDP to the APC had been previously reported, sparking legal and political developments in the state. A High Court in Rivers State, in a ruling on Tuesday, affirmed Edison Ehie as the authentic Speaker of the House, restraining Martins Amaewhule from parading himself as the Speaker.
In line with the Speaker’s declaration, the seats of the 25 lawmakers who switched parties have been declared vacant. This move aligns with the constitutional provision that mandates the vacation of seats by legislators who defect to another political party before the expiration of the period for which they were elected.
The legal and political dynamics surrounding the defection and subsequent actions by the Speaker are expected to have significant implications for the political landscape in Rivers State.
