PDP to sue Rivers assembly members over repeated defection

The Peoples Democratic Party, on Saturday, vowed to retrieve its mandate by taking legal action against 17 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who on Friday, announced their redefection to the All Progressives Congress.
PDP spokesperson, Ini Ememobong, in a statement, described the lawmakers doing the bidding of their paymaster and demigod, as enemies of democracy, political puppets mocking the legislature, and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress.
Mr Ememobong said, “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. 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.
“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. They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature. So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC.
“Consequently, the @OfficialPDPNig 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 ignobly and surreptitiously switched to another platform.”
The PDP urged its members in the state to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity.
The latest development comes barely a year after 27 assembly members loyal to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on December 9, 2024, first defected to the APC, citing divisions in the PDP.
However, with a suit instituted against them by the PDP for their defection, the 27 lawmakers denied making the decision, and the Supreme Court also ruled in March that there was no evidence of their defection.
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