PDP said, “Happily, there are a plethora of judicial decisions from the highest court in our country in support of the position taken by our Party.”
By Kehinde Okeowo
The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) has reiterated it’s position on the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected from their party to the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying their seats remain vacant.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba made this known in a statement he signed and made available to pressmen recently.
PDP’s reaction followed a report in a section of the social media which alleged that there are plots to compromise the party’s position and provide an unattainable lifeline to the lawmakers to return to their seats.
Speaking on the development, the major opposition party in Nigeria clarified that it was not under pressure from any quarters to compromise its position in court.
It added that it made its position clear that the lawmakers were no longer members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from December 11, 2023, when the 27 lawmakers publicly announced their defection from the PDP to the APC.
The Party in the statement said that, “Our party therefore stands by its position that the affected members have since lost their seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly having arrogantly committed an unpardonable constitutional breach.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP in its Counter Claim by its National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1681/2023 filed at the Federal High Court Abuja stated clearly that the former Rivers State lawmakers ‘are no longer members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from December 11, 2023 when they publicly announced their defection from the PDP to the APC’.”
The party added: “Happily, there are a plethora of judicial decisions from the highest court in our country in support of the position taken by our Party.”