Rivers Assembly Speaker, Oko-Jumbo, Urges INEC to Conduct Bye-Elections for Vacant Seats.
Following Removal of Legal Obstacle. Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo, has requested that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conduct bye-elections to fill the 27 vacant seats left by defected members, citing the removal of the legal impediment that previously prevented INEC from taking action.
Oko-Jumbo made this call during a press conference in Port Harcourt on Friday. He emphasized that the 27 lawmakers, led by Martin Chike Amaewhule, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) without justification on December 11, 2023.
Their defection followed a failed attempt to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara on October 30, 2023. Oko-Jumbo noted that the defected lawmakers filed Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1681/2023 against INEC, securing an interlocutory injunction that restrained INEC from conducting bye-elections.
However, on October 30, 2024, they discontinued the suit, rendering the injunction ineffective. Oko-Jumbo has now called on INEC to conduct the bye-elections promptly.
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