State House of Assembly members, Bashir Abdullahi Isa Lokogoma and
Nazeer Abdullahi, representing Wushishi and Rijau constituencies
respectively, defected from PDP to the APC.
Declaring their seats vacant, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Adamu Usman, said the action of the assembly was based on the letter written to it by the state chapter of PDP, confirming that the two members defected to APC.
The two affected members, who were not allowed to speak during the boisterous session at the assembly’s chamber, were ordered by the Speaker and were walked out by the Sergeant of Arm, despite claiming to have secured a court order restraining the assembly from taking any action against them.
In a letter written to the assembly by the state PDP and made available to journalists, read in part: “Information reaching the state secretariat of the party indicates that the two members of the assembly, Bashir Abdullahi Isa Lokogoma and Nazeer Abdullahi, have defected and abandoned the PDP which provide them the platform for their election and joined the APC party. The state working committee (SWC) of the party has investigated and found the information to be true.
“The SWC is of the firm view that the action of the said assembly members were taken without recourse to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, and therefore, uses this medium to call on the Speaker to invoke the relevant provision of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers him to remedy this kind of invasion and brazen affront to our constitution.”
The letter added that Section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution stated that a member of assembly shall vacate his seat for defecting to another party before the expiration of the period for which the said member was elected, provided his defection was not owing to a faction in his original party or merger with other party.
The Speaker, who denied knowledge of any court order, said it took the assembly this long to declare the seats of the two members vacant, because they did not have any fact to rely upon, but with a letter from the PDP confirming their defection, the assembly had no any option than to act in accordance with the law of the land.
Speaking to the affected members, both described the action of the assembly as a clear case of impunity, saying it was unfortunate for lawmakers to act in total disregard for a court order.
The two former members added that arrangement by their lawyers was in top gear to challenge the state assembly’s declaration before a court.
Declaring their seats vacant, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Adamu Usman, said the action of the assembly was based on the letter written to it by the state chapter of PDP, confirming that the two members defected to APC.
The two affected members, who were not allowed to speak during the boisterous session at the assembly’s chamber, were ordered by the Speaker and were walked out by the Sergeant of Arm, despite claiming to have secured a court order restraining the assembly from taking any action against them.
In a letter written to the assembly by the state PDP and made available to journalists, read in part: “Information reaching the state secretariat of the party indicates that the two members of the assembly, Bashir Abdullahi Isa Lokogoma and Nazeer Abdullahi, have defected and abandoned the PDP which provide them the platform for their election and joined the APC party. The state working committee (SWC) of the party has investigated and found the information to be true.
“The SWC is of the firm view that the action of the said assembly members were taken without recourse to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, and therefore, uses this medium to call on the Speaker to invoke the relevant provision of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers him to remedy this kind of invasion and brazen affront to our constitution.”
The letter added that Section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution stated that a member of assembly shall vacate his seat for defecting to another party before the expiration of the period for which the said member was elected, provided his defection was not owing to a faction in his original party or merger with other party.
The Speaker, who denied knowledge of any court order, said it took the assembly this long to declare the seats of the two members vacant, because they did not have any fact to rely upon, but with a letter from the PDP confirming their defection, the assembly had no any option than to act in accordance with the law of the land.
Speaking to the affected members, both described the action of the assembly as a clear case of impunity, saying it was unfortunate for lawmakers to act in total disregard for a court order.
The two former members added that arrangement by their lawyers was in top gear to challenge the state assembly’s declaration before a court.
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