Politics
PDP Mocks APC Over Witless Statement on Former Rivers State Lawmakers …Insists Defectors Have Constitutionally Lost Their Seats
Published
8 months agoon
By
Ekwutos Blog
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) OfficialPDPNig lampoons the All Progressives Congress (APC) OfficialAPCNg over its witless press statement wherein it laboured without success to subvert the Constitution on the vacation of seats by former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who lost their membership of that Legislative House upon defection from the PDP.
The statement further exposes the hallucinating and manipulative plots by the APC to force itself into goverment in Rivers State against the WILL of the people; a futile venture which will remain a mirage for the APC.
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 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.
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.
Signed:
Hon. Debo Ologunagba
National Publicity Secretary @SimFubaraKSC | Follow Ekwutosblog for more news.
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Councillors impeach two Edo LG Chairmen
Published
2 hours agoon
January 2, 2025By
Ekwutos BlogCouncillors impeach two Edo LG Chairmen
Two chairmen in Uhunmwonde and Orhionmwon local government areas of Edo State have been impeached by their councillors.
The events were marked by accusations of violence, illegal actions, and political interference.
A similar situation also unfolded in Owan East, where the chairman and his deputy faced what they described as an unconstitutional impeachment process.
In Uhunmwonde, the impeachment process turned violent as armed men attacked bystanders, leaving several people injured.
The council chairman, Kenneth Adodo, accused the attackers of being policemen sent from the government house.
In Orhionmwon, the councillors impeached the Leader of the House, Daniel Osariemen, on Wednesday.
They claimed Osariemen was working to remove the council chairman, Newman Ugiagbe, and his vice, Midwest Ogbebor.
Following his impeachment, Osariemen allegedly led unknown persons to take over the council secretariat in Abudu.
He reportedly resumed work there as the acting chairman, but Ugiagbe dismissed his actions as illegal.
In Owan East, the chairman, Prince Aminu Okodo-Kadiri, and his vice, Clement Ojebuovbo, were also impeached.
Okodo rejected the impeachment, calling it unlawful and saying it did not follow proper procedures.
He argued that the law requires a seven-member investigative panel to handle such cases, but no panel was formed. He also claimed he was not given a chance to defend himself.
Okodo further pointed out that the mace used during the impeachment was not the official one for the Owan East Council, which he said made the process invalid.
He accused two suspended councillors of being part of the impeachment, even though they had not been reinstated officially.
The chairman also responded to allegations from the state governor that council chairmen misused ₦50 million meant for salaries.
Okodo said these claims were false, explaining that monthly salary expenses in most councils are higher than ₦50 million.
He added that all salaries had been paid up to November and that bank records showed no mismanagement of funds.
Okodo described the impeachment as politically motivated and vowed to take legal action.
He expressed confidence that the court would overturn the decision and restore his position.
Politics
Breaking News: I am An Igbo Man, Anioma is Igbo, Nothing like Delta Igbo. We are all Igbos – Ifeanyi Okowa
Published
5 hours agoon
January 2, 2025By
Ekwutos BlogBreaking News: I am An Igbo Man, Anioma is Igbo, Nothing like Delta Igbo. We are all Igbos – Ifeanyi Okowa
Governor Okowa said there is nothing like delta igbo or Anioma igbo. He stated that we are all igbo people.
Igbo language to be included in school curiculum in all schools in all the igbo areas in delta state.
Me:
Okowa Dalu…Bini Land grabbers…Cry more…how can you even be claiming someone who does not understand your language, practice ur culture and bear your naive names… Anioma Igbo.
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Politics
JUST IN: Governor Sim Fubara Signs N1.1 trillion Rivers state 2025 Budget Into Law.
Published
5 hours agoon
January 2, 2025By
Ekwutos BlogJUST IN: Governor Sim Fubara Signs N1.1 trillion Rivers state 2025 Budget Into Law.
His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has signed into law the 2025 Rivers State Appropriation Bill, totaling 1.1 trillion naira.
Below are the statements of His Excellency as he signed into law the Appropriation Bill, tagged “Budget of Inclusive Growth & Development.”
“Let me first thank the Rivers State House of Assembly for doing a very diligent job and also realizing that what we have ahead of us is to continue to work for Rivers people. So, I want to thank you for working very, very hard and ensuring that we hit the ground running in this new year.”
“I want to say this, maybe for some persons somewhere who are still mixing up issues: we have only one Assembly, and that Assembly is headed by Rt. Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo. A group of friends about nine or ten months ago embarked on what they call a “Sinbad Journey.” Halfway through the journey, while they were coasting, they realized they were entering into the den of devils and sharks. They now retrieved, but it is too late. The truth is, we are not going back. We have given enough room for peace. As it stands now, our majority target is the interest of Rivers State and to continue to defend the integrity of governance. As far as I’m concerned, we have moved on.”
“Let me thank everyone who made this possible. We made a promise to you that we would continue to keep the interests of Rivers State first. So now that this bill has been signed, I can assure you that every projection in it will be kickstarted so that the record of performance accorded to this administration in the year 2024 will be surpassed in this year.”
“Let me thank my management team, that is, my exco, for all the support, most especially my deputy and everyone—the Commissioner for Finance, Budget, and the acting Internal Revenue Chairman—for the wonderful job they did last year. We expect you to do more because we have a bigger task ahead of us.”
“We have made some promises to our people in education, health, and agriculture. We must ensure we make a good impact, just like we have done in the areas of road infrastructure and other aspects of the economy.”
“Let me, on this note, thank everyone and wish you a happy and prosperous New Year ahead as we continue the journey of making Rivers State great again.”
“Thank you.”
– John Martins®️
Thursday, 02 January, 2025
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