The Abia State Chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party has called.on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to declare the seat of Hon Chris Nkwonta following his defection to the All day Congress.
JOURNALIST101 recalls that Hon. Nkwonta who represents Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives, announced his defection to the ruling party ok the floor of the house on Wednesday.
However, the PDP in a statement signed by Media Adviser to Abia PDP Caretaker Committee, Jude Ndukwe called on “INEC to immediately comply with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution by declaring the seat vacant and conduct a new election within the constitutionally stipulated time to replace the defected Member.
“This call on INEC is for the electoral body to comply with the provisions of Section 68(1)(g) & (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) since Hon. Nkwonta’s defection did not meet the conditions precedent to the defection of a federal lawmaker as provided for by our laws.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 68(1)(g) states inter alia: ‘being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the 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.'”
Ndukwe in the statement made available to newsmakers on Wednesday night, added that “It is clear that the PDP has no factions either at the federal or state level, a situation which renders Nkwonta’s defection illegal. In view of the above, we call on INEC to conduct a new election to fill the now vacant Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency seat.”
