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Abia PDP Tells INEC to Declare Nkwonta's Seat Vacant

…Urges INEC to order new election

Published

Thursday, October 3, 2024 at 12:11 PM

Written by Omotola Adeleke

Abia PDP Tells INEC to Declare Nkwonta's Seat Vacant

The Abia State chapter of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) has urged INEC to declare the seat of Hon. Chris Nkwonta vacant and hold a new election within the constitutionally required timeframe to replace the defected member.

Chris Nkwonta, a House of Representatives member, recently left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a release, the Abia State PDP titled "Defection: INEC Should Declare Chris Nkwonta's Seat Vacant," called on the Speaker of the House of Representatives to declare Rep Abonta's seat vacant following his defection from PDP to APC, referencing applicable sections of the Nigerian Constitution.

In the statement signed by Jude Ndukwe, Media Adviser to the Abia PDP Caretaker Committee, it was emphasized that there is no faction within the People’s Democratic Party that would justify Abonta's departure from the party that enabled him to become a member of the House of Representatives.

The statement reads, “Following the defection of Hon Chris Nkwonta, the representative of Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives, from the PDP to the APC on the floor of the House on Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024, the PDP in Abia State hereby calls on INEC to immediately comply with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution by declaring the seat vacant and conduct a new election within the constitutionally stipulated time to replace the defected Member.

”This call on INEC is for the electoral body to comply with the provisions of Section 68(1)(g) & (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeriia (as amended) since Hon. Nkwonta’s defection did not meet the conditions precedent to the defection of a federal lawmaker as provided for by our laws.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 68(1)(g) states inter alia: "being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected;

“Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored."

He added “It is clear that the PDP has no factions either at the federal or state level, a situation which renders Nkwonta's defection illegal. In view of the above, we call on INEC to conduct a new election to fill the now vacant Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency seat."

Edited By: Chinedu Eze

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Abia PDP Tells INEC to Declare Nkwonta's Seat Vacant

The Abia State chapter of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) has urged INEC to declare the seat of Hon. Chris Nkwonta vacant and hold a new election within the constitutionally required timeframe to replace the defected member.

Chris Nkwonta, a House of Representatives member, recently left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a release, the Abia State PDP titled "Defection: INEC Should Declare Chris Nkwonta's Seat Vacant," called on the Speaker of the House of Representatives to declare Rep Abonta's seat vacant following his defection from PDP to APC, referencing applicable sections of the Nigerian Constitution.

In the statement signed by Jude Ndukwe, Media Adviser to the Abia PDP Caretaker Committee, it was emphasized that there is no faction within the People’s Democratic Party that would justify Abonta's departure from the party that enabled him to become a member of the House of Representatives.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 68(1)(g) states inter alia: "being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected;

“Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored."

He added “It is clear that the PDP has no factions either at the federal or state level, a situation which renders Nkwonta's defection illegal. In view of the above, we call on INEC to conduct a new election to fill the now vacant Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency seat."

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