Imo assembly apga declares defecting lawmakers seats vacant

A current event!

According to reports, the Imo State House of Assembly has indeed declared the seats of the 17 lawmakers who defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Action Alliance (AA) vacant.

The decision was taken during an emergency plenary session of the Assembly on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. The lawmakers who defected from the APC to the AA were accused of violating the party's constitution and the principles of democracy.

The Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Paul Emeziem, announced the decision to declare their seats vacant, citing the provisions of Section 109 (1) (d) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which states that a member of the House of Assembly shall vacate his seat if he defects from the political party whose nomination he was elected on.

The move is seen as a major blow to the defected lawmakers, who had hoped to continue representing their constituencies under the AA. The decision is also expected to trigger a by-election in the affected constituencies.

It's worth noting that the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, had earlier threatened to take action against the defected lawmakers, describing their decision as "treasonable". The Governor had also accused them of being sponsored by external forces to destabilize the state.