The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared its full control over Rivers State, asserting dominance in the state’s political landscape under Governor Siminalayi Fubara. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party claimed that all legislators who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) have forfeited their seats, citing constitutional provisions.
Ologunagba emphasized that legal considerations overwhelmingly favor the PDP, dismissing the APC’s claims as futile attempts to subvert Nigeria’s constitution. He highlighted the clarity of Section 109(1)(g) of the Constitution, which mandates the vacation of seats by lawmakers who defect to another party.
Furthermore, Ologunagba urged both the APC and the defected legislators to abandon any hopes of assuming control of Rivers State, asserting that the former lawmakers have vacated their seats irreversibly. He cautioned the APC to refrain from seeking to reverse the situation and emphasized that the quorum of the Rivers State House of Assembly will be determined by the remaining lawmakers until bye-elections fill the vacancies.