PDP to Tambuwal: Declare seats of 37 lawmakers vacant
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to declare the 37 seats of its members who have defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) vacant without delay.
The party, through its National Publicity Secretary Chief Olisa Metuh, said the action was necessary since the affected members have renounced their membership of the PDP.
“This action shall be in adherence to our grand norm, which is the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended),” Metuh said. “Nigerians are eagerly awaiting this call to duty as this will go a long way in demonstrating our commitment to the rule of law”.
He said the claim by the 37 members that they obtained an injunction restraining the leadership of the National Assembly and the party from declaring their seats vacant is false.
“We have after a careful review discovered that this claim is false. For the avoidance of doubt, the order of the Court clearly says that “status quo” be maintained, which means the affected members shall remain members of the PDP.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in section 68 (i) (g) clearly spells out the consequences of cross carpeting when there is no division in any Party. We wish to re-emphasize here that the Courts have pronounced and INEC has concurred that there are no factions in the PDP,” he said.
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