Rivers crisis: Our position has not changed – PDP tells stranded lawmakers

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has declared that nothing will make it change its position on the vacation of seats by former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected from the party to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The main opposition political party also clarified that it was not under pressure from any quarters to compromise its position in court.

The party said it had already made it as clear as possible that the lawmakers were no longer members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from December 11, 2023.

That was the exact date when the lawmakers, numbering about 27, publicly announced their defection from the PDP to the APC.

The PDP’s reaction followed a report in a section of the social media which claimed that there were plots to compromise the PDP position and provide an unattainable lifeline to the lawmakers to return to their seats.

“Our party therefore stands by its position that the affected members have since lost their seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly having arrogantly committed an unpardonable constitutional breach,” the PDP said in a statement signed by Debo Ologunagba, its National Publicity Secretary.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP in its Counter Claim by its National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1681/2023 filed at the Federal High Court Abuja stated clearly that the former Rivers State lawmakers ‘are no longer members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from December 11, 2023 when they publicly announced their defection from the PDP to the APC’.

“Happily, there are a plethora of judicial decisions from the highest court in our country in support of the position taken by our Party,” it added.