Imo Assembly declares Nkwerre seat vacant over lawmaker’s defection

By Christiana Ekpa

Less than one week after defecting to the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Kennedy Ibeh (APC Obowo) has declared the seat of the Nkwerre representative, Obinna Okwarra vacant.

The Speaker made the declaration following a motion moved by the member representing Ngor Okpala (APC), Blyden Amajirionwu and seconded by Chiji Collins (APC Isiala Mbano).

The Ngor Okpala lawmaker stated that Okwarra had defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in contravention of section 109, subsection 1g of the Constitution.

He said, “the law stipulates that no member should defect to another party before the expiration of his tenure if his election was sponsored by another party.

“A member of the house of assembly shall vacate his election to the house of assembly 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 read.

The Ngor-Okpala representative also presented pictorial and video evidence of Okwarra’s defection which was played at the house.

In his ruling, the Speaker said his discretion in resolving the matter was tied to the evidence presented to prove that the provisions of the constitution had been contravened.

“Satisfactory evidence has been presented to prove that Okwarra has become a member of a party other than the one that sponsored his election; his seat is therefore declared vacant,” he said.

He further directed the Clerk, Mrs Chinelo Emeghara to forward a clean copy to the Independent National Electoral Commission to schedule a date for a bye-election to select a new representative.

However, at the plenary session, the member representing Ideato North, Dr Arthur Egwim (APC) was recalled from his suspension following a letter of apology from him.