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No Remedy for 27 Defected Rivers Lawmakers, INEC Must Conduct Fresh Elections to Fill Their Seats, PDP Insists

Published

2 years ago

December 20, 2023

Eric

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says there is no remedy for the 27 members of the Rivers state house of assembly who dumped the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The PDP was reacting to President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the political crisis in the Niger Delta state.

On Monday, Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers state, and Nyesom Wike, his predecessor and minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), agreed to end the political turmoil between them after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu.

Among the resolutions reached at the meeting, all parties to the crisis in Rivers agreed that all matters instituted in courts should be “immediately” withdrawn, while the 27 lawmakers who defected to the APC should be taken back as members of the assembly.

Speaking after an emergency meeting of the PDP national working committee (NWC), Umar Damagum, acting national chairman of the party, said the defected lawmakers can only return to the Rivers house of assembly through an election.

Citing section 109 (1g) of the constitution, Damagum said there is “no remedy” for the lawmakers who “vacated and lost their seats because of defection from the PDP, the party platform upon which they were elected into the house of assembly”.

“Our Party insists that having now vacated and lost their seats, the only option available for the former lawmakers, if they wish to return to the house of assembly, is to seek fresh nomination and reelection on the platform of any political party of their choice in line with the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022,” he said.

The PDP chairman said the lawmakers “freely and without any cause” vacated their seats, being fully aware of the consequences of defection from the party upon which they were elected.

“For the avoidance of doubt, there is no division in the PDP at the national or any other level for that matter to justify the defection of the 25 former members of the Rivers state house of assembly from the party,” Damagum said.

“They, therefore, vacated their seats for reasons best known to them and cannot return to the house of assembly without passing through a fresh electoral process.

“Moreover, the speaker of the Rivers state house of assembly Rt. on (Barr) Ehie O. Edison DSSRS officially declared the seat of the defected now former members vacant.

“The Rivers state house of assembly, having become Functus Officio on the matter, cannot re-admit the former lawmakers unless through the channel of a fresh election.”

The PDP asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct by-elections in the 27 constituencies to fill the” vacant seats” in the Rivers house of assembly.

In recent weeks, there has been a power tussle between Fubara and Wike, leading to divisions in the state’s political landscape.

The conflict extended to the Rivers house of assembly, polarising the legislature.

Amid the political crisis, some commissioners resigned from Fubara’s cabinet.

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Two Rivers Lawmakers Step Down from Impeachment Proceedings Against Fubara, Sue for Peace

Published

4 hours ago

January 12, 2026

Eric

Two members of the Rivers House of Assembly, who are loyalists of former Governor Nyesom Wike, have withdrawn from the impeachment move against Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers.

The Minority Leader of the assembly, Sylvanus Enyinna Nwankwo, and Peter Abbey, who represents Degema State Constituency, urged their colleagues to exercise restraint and allow for dialogue to maintain stability in the state

In a video widely circulated on Facebook and an excerpt published by Rivers State Television, the lawmakers urged their colleagues to prioritise the overall interest and stability of Rivers above partisan disagreements.

Call for ‘cooling-off period’

The legislators stressed that the prevailing political climate demands calm, dialogue and a “cooling-off period” within the assembly to allow, in their words, “wisdom and truth to prevail” in the legislative chambers.

Although they did not expressly mention the impeachment process during the briefing, their intervention is being interpreted by political observers as a withdrawal from the impeachment push against Mr Fubara, which has heightened tensions in the state.

Background to impeachment moves

The Rivers assembly parted ways with Mr Fubara because of the feud between the governor and Mr Wike, who is the FCT minister.

The current impeachment notice on Mr Fubara is the third attempt in less than three years to remove the governor. The previous efforts had split the legislature into two factions, causing President Bola Tinubu to declare a six-month state of emergency in the oil-rich state and suspend the governor, the deputy governor, and the lawmakers.

The lawmakers accused the governor of constitutional breaches and administrative misconduct, allegations his supporters have dismissed as politically motivated.

Source: Premium Times

News

I Won’t Surrender Rivers N700bn IGR to Anyone, Fubara Vows

Published

5 days ago

January 8, 2026

Eric

Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has resisted alleged pressure to hand over N700 billion, representing 35% of the State’s internally generated revenue (IGR), to anyone, sparking a heated power struggle with former Governor Nyesom Wike, now Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister.

The dispute has raised concerns about the welfare of Rivers State residents, with 4.4 million people living in multidimensional poverty.

The feud between Fubara and Wike, who unilaterally chose Fubara as his successor, has escalated into violent confrontations, defections, and legal battles.

Wike has threatened to make Rivers State “ungovernable” if Fubara fails comply, while his supporters have vowed to “deal with” Fubara.

In response, Fubara has warned that he cannot be intimidated, saying: “Rivers State is not a playground” and that he’s prepared to defend the state’s interest.

His supporters have also threatened to mobilise protests against Wike and his allies.

The crisis had paralysed governance, prompting President Bola Tinubu to declare a six-month emergency rule in the State last year.

The situation remains tense, with both sides maintaining their respective stance.

The outcome will have significant implications for Rivers State and Nigerian politics.

The dispute highlights concerns about godfatherism in Nigerian politics and its impact on governance.

Wike has accused Fubara of ingratitude, while Fubara sees the former’s demands as an attempt to undermine his authority.

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Rivers Assembly Begins Impeachment Proceedings Against Fubara

Published

5 days ago

January 8, 2026

Eric

The Rivers State House of Assembly has commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The legislature kicked off the process at plenary on Thursday.

The lawmakers are accusing Fubara and his deputy of gross misconduct.

Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, is presiding over the session.

The day’s proceedings bear the imprimatur of renewed hostilities between Fubara and his predecessor Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

On December 5, 2025, a horde of the Rivers assembly lawmakers led by the speaker, announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Days later, Fubara formalised his own switch from the PDP to the APC.

However, the sabre-rattling and thinly veiled remarks between Wike and Fubara, which culminated in the declaration of emergency rule in the state in March 2025, have persisted.

Most of the Rivers lawmakers have stayed loyal to Wike.

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