The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the latest defection announced by some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, describing the move as a “defection from APC to APC” and an assault on democratic integrity.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said the lawmakers had previously defected from the party, recanted their action, and have now “announced the same defection for the second time.”
According to Ememobong, the development comes as no surprise.
“We have seen on various media platforms news of the redefection of some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who, for a second time, announced their defection from our party,” he said. “We recall that they had done so earlier and later recanted. These are people whom the world is aware are doing the bidding of their paymaster and demigod.”
He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.
“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress,” Ememobong stated. “They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”
The PDP Spokesperson added that the lawmakers’ conduct fits a pattern of political absurdity.
“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.
Ememobong announced that the party will deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.
“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform,” he said.
He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.
“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Ememobong assured.
