Ebonyi lawmakers declare 3 more PDP seats vacant
Ebonyi state House of Assembly Thursday declared seats of three more lawmakers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vacant. The lawmakers are Ali Okechukwu (Ishielu North), Franca Okpo (Abakaliki North) and Victor Aleke (Ebonyi West). Their seats were declared vacant following letters of resignation purportedly written by the lawmakers.
The letters were read by the Speaker of the House, Francis Nwifuru during an emergency sitting of the House.
The Three Lawmakers and the other five from PDP were not present at the sitting, but all the 15 from All Progressive Party (APC) who were sacked by Justice Ekwo Federal High Court attended the sitting.
After reading the letters, Mr Francis Nwifuru declared their seats vacant.
He also ordered the clerk to write to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) notifying the commission of the development, and the need to conduct fresh elections in the affected constituencies.
But the three Lawmakers involved maintained that they were still members of the House of Assembly.
Speaking on their behalf in a telephone interview, Mr Victor Aleke, described the action of the speaker and the APC lawmakers as illegal.
According to him, the Speaker and the other APC Lawmakers have been sacked by the Federal High Court in Abuja, and have ceased to be lawmakers, adding, “they should not have sat in the first place.
“What they have done today by sitting amounts to contempt of court and the court may declare them wanted if care is not taken.
“We have no reason whatsoever to resign our seats. We are still Lawmakers representing our various constituencies and we enjoin our supporters and the general public to disregard what they have done.”
