The 27 Rivers State House of Assembly members who were elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and have since defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been urged to resign from their positions and pursue their new political interests in the APC as regular party members.
Uche Harris Okonkwo, who represents Idemili North and South Federal Constituency in Anambra State, made this call in a statement. He described the lawmakers’ defection as a serious assault on the integrity of democracy and the constitution’s operational sanctity.
Okonkwo, who is not affiliated with either the PDP or the APC, argued that legislators who switch parties less than a year into their term should not retain their seats. He called on the defected members to step down from their roles in the Rivers State House of Assembly and engage with the APC as ordinary party members.
He also expressed concern about the spread of such behavior across Nigeria’s political landscape, citing recent reports of Labour Party legislators defecting to the PDP. Okonkwo warned that excessive executive influence behind these defections poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
“I am neither a member of the PDP nor the APC, so I am not a direct beneficiary or loser in this struggle for power in Rivers State,” Okonkwo stated. “As a fellow lawmaker, I am appalled by the way the legislative institution is being disrespected and misused.”
He stressed that the intent of the law is clear and should be followed, emphasizing that the victory achieved by these legislators belongs to the PDP, not the APC.
Okonkwo urged politicians to uphold the integrity of the legislative institution and avoid behavior that undermines the constitution. He expressed concern about how easily such bad practices can spread and warned that excessive executive manipulation could harm the country’s long-standing democratic experience.
“If we ever hope to earn and appreciate what we profess and aspire to, respect for our constitution and obedience to the rule of law are not negotiable,” he concluded.
