Defection: PDP wants INEC to declare Rep’s seat vacant
by Ganiyu Mubarak · The Eagle OnlineFollowing the defection of Hon. Chris Nkwonta, the representative of Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency, from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, the Abia State chapter of the PDP has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to declare his seat vacant.
The member of the House of Representatives had on Wednesday on the floor of the House made his defection public.
Reacting to the move by Nkwonta, the PDP called on “INEC to immediately comply with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution by declaring the seat vacant and conduct a new election within the constitutionally stipulated time to replace the defected Member”.
In a statement by Media Adviser to Abia PDP Caretaker Committee, Jude Ndukwe, the party said: “This call on INEC is for the electoral body to comply with the provisions of Section 68(1)(g) & (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) since Hon. Nkwonta’s defection did not meet the conditions precedent to the defection of a federal lawmaker as provided for by our laws.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 68(1)(g) states inter alia: ‘being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected;
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“‘Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored.’
“It is clear that the PDP has no factions either at the federal or state level, a situation which renders Nkwonta’s defection illegal. In view of the above, we call on INEC to conduct a new election to fill the now vacant Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency seat.”
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