People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, have insisted that the 17 All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the assembly sacked by a federal high court sitting in Abuja have ceased to be members of the assembly until the court decides otherwise.
Recall that a federal high court sitting in Abuja had on March 8, sacked the Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi; the deputy governor, Eric Kelechi Igwe and 17 members of the House of Assembly for defecting from the PDP to the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The governor and the deputy governor, among others, have since appealed the judgement.
On Tuesday the sacked lawmakers, including the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Francis Nwifuru, declared seats of their PDP counterparts vacant.
But in a statement signed by the member representing Abakaliki North constituency, Hon. Mrs Franca Okpo, on behalf of PDP lawmakers, they argued that any action carried out on the floor of the House by their sacked colleagues remains unconstitutional and a contempt of Court.
In a statement the lawmaker emphasized that the sacked members of the House of Assembly lacked both the moral and constitutional powers to declare their seats vacant.
“The sacked members are no longer members of Ebonyi State House of Assembly until stated otherwise by a competent Court of law.”
According to Okpo, “My attention has been drawn to online publications by sacked members of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, purporting that I, Hon. Mrs Franca Okpo representing Abakaliki North constituency, Hon. Victor Aleke representing Ebonyi North West Constituency and Hon Okechukwu Ali representing Ishielu North constituency resigned our positions and as a result, our seats were declared vacant.
“It is therefore surprising to hear that duly sacked members of the house sat illegally and declared the seats of authentic members of the House vacant.
“It’s on record that after the Federal High Court judgement, that the erstwhile Speaker in his live broadcast together with the other sacked members claimed to have accepted it in good faith, not like they had another option though.
“You may wish to recall that the former Speaker also stated that they have applied for a stay of execution. And uptill now, no stay of execution have been granted by any competent court.
“I urge you all to remain calm as any action allegedly done by them is not only invalid abnitio as neither of them posses the power to do so, but also amounts to contempt of court and forgery and won’t be taken likely.”