The Imo State House of Assembly, Wednesday, declared the seat of Hon Obinna Okwara of Nkwerre state Constituency vacant.
This decision followed a motion moved by member representing Ngor-Okpala State Constituency, Hon Blyden Amajirionwu, on the floor of the House, praying that his seat be declared vacant owing to his defection to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from the All Progressives Congress(APC).
Hon Blyden in his motion referred to Section 109 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, particularly subsection (1) and (2) where it was stated that: “any member who left the party that sponsored his election and moved to another party, the Speaker shall declare such a seat vacant.”
His motion was seconded by Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins, member representing Isiala Mbano State Constituency after which the Speaker who immediately consulted the Constitution, and the House Rules, asked Hon Blyden Amajirionwu to substantiate his allegation by presenting evidences.
The Ngor- Okpala member later laid pictorials and VCD to the table showing where Hon. Obinna Okwara defected to PDP and raised up the party’s membership card.
Bound by the constitutional provision, the Speaker who painstakingly read the relevant portions of the constitution, called for voice votes, with almost all the honourable members giving an “AY” nod to the constitutional provision.
The Speaker therefore declared the seat of Nkwerre State Constituency vacant, and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct bye-election in the area.
Speaking with newsmen after the plenary, Hon Amajirionwu maintained that by moving the motion he acted based on the dictates of the Constitution.
On whether he knew that almost all current members of the APC defected from the PDP that sponsored their elections, and that the said lawmaker had defected from the Action Alliance (AA) to APC and finally to PDP, he said he acted based on what he saw on ground.
