The crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly worsened on Wednesday following the declaration of the seats of the 27 members who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) vacant.
Daily Newslead recalls that the 27 lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, defected from the party recently amid alleged moves to impeach the state governor, Sim Fubara.
Our correspondent in Port Harcourt learnt that the affected lawmakers were not present at the plenary where their seats were declared vacant.
The five-member Assembly, led by factional Speaker, Edison Ehie, loyal to the state governor, on Wednesday, said the decision to declare the seats vacant was in line with Section 109 (1) (g) and 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.
Ehie, who read the names of the lawmakers affected, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh elections within the time frame provided by law to fill the positions.
“Distinguished colleagues, the House will duly inform the Independent National Electoral Commission of the vacancies in the Rivers State House of Assembly and indeed, conduct a fresh election to fill the above vacancies,” the Speaker declared.
