Conduct By-Elections for Rivers Assembly Seats Now, Clark Tells INEC
Kehinde Fajobi
Elder statesman and former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately organise by-elections to fill 27 vacant seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA).
In an open letter addressed to INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu and made available to journalists in Abuja, Clark stated that the vacancies resulted from defections by lawmakers who abandoned the political party that sponsored them for another, in violation of the 1999 Constitution.
Clark explained that the seats had been vacant for over a year, depriving constituents of proper representation.
“The seats of the 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have been vacant for a long time, more than one year after the former holders vacated. This action is depriving the people of the affected constituencies of representation,” he said.
The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) leader noted that the lawmakers’ defection contravened Section 109(1)(g) of the Constitution, which disqualifies elected members from retaining their seats after switching parties without a legitimate party crisis.
He added, “Twenty-seven members of the RSHA openly, on the floor of the House, announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the political party that sponsored them, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), when there was no crisis in their former political party.”
Clark revealed that the RSHA Speaker at the time, Edison Ehie, had informed INEC of the vacancies, but the commission had yet to act.
He also criticised former Speaker Martins Amaewhule and his colleagues for attempting to manipulate the judicial system to retain their positions.
“One of the most grievous things they did was to hide from the court facts and evidence that should have enabled the court to arrive at a just and equitable judgment,” Clark said.
Highlighting the constitutional mandate of INEC to conduct elections, Clark reminded Yakubu that the commission was established by Section 153 of the 1999 Constitution.
“It is mandatory on INEC to conduct by-elections to fill the vacant seats in the RSHA,” he stated.
Clark implored Yakubu to act promptly, stating, “I plead with the Chairman of INEC, to without delay, conduct by-election to fill the vacant seats and give adequate representation to the people of the affected constituencies.”
He expressed concern over the broader implications of undermining the Constitution, warning, “The supreme laws of the country must be obeyed if there must be a country called Nigeria.”
Clark concluded by urging the government and INEC to uphold the rule of law, emphasising the importance of safeguarding the Constitution to maintain Nigeria’s unity and democracy.