Chairman of the Action Peoples Party (APP) in Rivers State, Hon Sunny Wokekoro has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to conduct by-election to fill the vacant seats of the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who defected from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC).
He stated that INEC’s delay in conducting the election is also contributing to the political crisis in the state, saying that the recent judgement has confirmed and authenticated the defection of the 27 lawmakers in Rivers State House of Assembly.
Wokekoro, spoke to newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday while reacting to the recent judgement of the Rivers State High Court, which dismissed the suit seeking to compel Governor Siminalayi Fubara to re-present the N800 billion 2024 budget to the aggrieved 27 lawmakers of the State House of Assembly led by Hon. Martins Amaewhule.
He said: “The judgement has clearly mentioned that the governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara is in right direction to have presented the 2024 and 2025 budgets to Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo-led Assembly.
“As a party, we are calling on INEC to immediately conduct another election to the seats vacated by the 27 lawmakers following their defection.
“The party will explore the possibility of legal action to compel INEC to conduct the election if our call is not adhered to.
“The judgement has authenticated and confirmed that the Governor has the constitutional right to present both the 2024 and 2025 budgets to Rt. Hon. Oko-Jumbo.”
He further reiterated that APP is prepared and optimistic about winning all the seats, adding that the party has credible candidates with the capacity.
Wokekoro said, “Our party is one of the fastest growing parties currently in the country. It is the party to beat at any election.”
The APP boss noted that the respective constituencies of the defected members are suffering representation in the State House of Assembly, which is presently headed by Oko-Jumbo. He enjoined all political parties to join hands in demanding that INEC immediately conduct a bye-election to fill the vacant seats occasioned by the defection.
