The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of failed attempts to subvert the constitution.
It also declared that its 27 former members elected to the Rivers State House of Assembly but who defected to the APC are the architects of their political misfortune.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Chief Nysom Wike, has pleaded with his supporters to forgive him over his choice of governorship candidate in the 2023 general election, saying the mistake would be corrected at the appropriate time.
According to the PDP, the ruling APC laboured to subvert the constitution through “witless” pronouncements “on the vacation of seats by former members.”
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, made the assertion in a statement yesterday, declaring that the position of the law is that the former members who defected to the APC have lost their seats in the legislature.
The statement accused the APC of a “hallucinating and manipulative plot” to force itself into government in Rivers State against the will of the people, noting that it is “a futile venture which will remain a mirage for the APC.”
It added: “It is indeed pathetic for the APC to think that the facts and true import of Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to the effect that the former lawmakers have since lost their seats can be muddled and lost in litigations and lengthy press statements.
“Interestingly, in the failed bid to subvert the Constitution to give the former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly a lifeline, the APC ended up admitting the clarity of the proviso of Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) in voiding their seats upon their defection.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 109 (1)(g) of the Constitution is clear in providing that ‘a member of a House of Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if – being a person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before expiration of the period for which that House was elected: 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.”
The opposition party further noted that the former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, for reasons best known to them, wittingly vacated and summarily lost their seats as nothing in the proviso protects or allows them to retain their membership of the Rivers State House of Assembly after decamping from the political party upon which they were elected.
“These former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have only themselves to blame for constitutionally vacating their seats; a course which cannot be reversed or remedied. They should admit their miscalculation and bear the inescapable consequences.
“This is especially so as the Supreme Court, in the case of Abegunde vs Ondo State House of Assembly and Others, has since clarified and affirmed the import of the proviso in Section 109(1)(g) in validating the automatic vacation of a seat by a member of a Legislative House who defected from the Party upon which he was elected into that House,” the party noted.
The PDP warned the APC to desist from its attempt to forcefully take over Rivers State.
It said: “For the umpteenth time the PDP cautions the APC to steer clear of Rivers State; it should perish the thoughts of forcefully taking over the State and stop exasperating the public space by seeking to reverse the irreversible.
“The APC should come to terms that with the vacation of seats by the former lawmakers; the quorum of the Rivers State House of Assembly will be determined by the number of the remaining lawmakers as provided by law until a bye-election is conducted to fill the vacancies now existing in the Rivers State House of Assembly as a result of the defection by the former members.”
Speaking yesterday at St Martins Church Field, Ogu town, in Ogu/Bolo Local Council, during the grand civic reception held in honour of Senator George Thompson Sekibo, who was celebrating 20 years of meritorious service at the National Assembly and 36 years of his life in public service,
Wike pleaded with his supporters to forgive him over his choice of governorship candidate in the 2023 general election.
While making reference to the political imbroglio in the state, Wike gave assurance that despite the political maneuvering and clandestine movement to procure court injunctions, the law will take its full course.
He urged members of the state House of Assembly loyal to him not to be frightened.
Reacting to the assertion by Governor Siminalayi Fubara that he would not worship any man, Wike clarified that he had never told anybody to worship him.
His words: “I have never told anybody to worship me. Nobody can worship man. All of us believe that we only have one God and it’s only that God we will worship and we will continue to worship that God.
“We are politicians; we appreciate people who have helped us. Ogu/Bolo people, when I came to ask you to support me, you supported me. Did I worship you? But I have to appreciate you. If you did not support me I would not have been in the position that I am in. So, where does the issue of worship come from?”
He also harped on the importance of gratitude, saying since God passes through people to lift people, it is the appreciation of the beneficiaries to his benefactor that God would feel appreciated.
The ex-governor noted that he is not a pushover, saying that his occupation is to keep making the other camp to make mistakes and continue running into trouble.
He said: “I came because I respect people who appreciate what God has done for them, who appreciate what God used people to do for them. God does not come down to help people. God uses people to help people. So, when you have been helped and you appreciate them, then God will know that you have appreciated Him.
“I want to say this clearly; in life we make mistakes. Well we have made the mistake and there is nothing we can do about it.
“I have made a mistake and I have said God forgive me, and all of you forgive me, but we will correct it at the appropriate time. I am a human being and I am bound to make mistakes. My judgment might be wrong; so forgive me.
“So, nobody should kill himself. Let me say it clearly; Arnold, do not be frightened that anybody will remove you as an Assembly member. Most of you do not understand this is our work. I have no other work than to make them angry every day. They will continue to make mistakes everyday and they will keep being in trouble every day.
“If they like, they can go to anybody’s house by 2am to secure court injunction, but foul; the law will take its course. We are not afraid; we follow due process. We will not arm anybody to fight for us.”
