- Safiu Kehinde
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to take legal action against the 16 Rivers State House of Assembly lawmakers who defected from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
NPO Reported that the lawmakers, led by the Assembly Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, had yesterday announced their defection from the PDP to APC as they pledged to work with President Bola Tinubu.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, on Saturday, the PDP vowed to recover the mandate given to the lawmakers under the banner of the party.
The PDP labelled the defecting lawmakers who initially joined the PDP from the APC as enemies of democracy.
“They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature. So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC.
“Consequently, the will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now ignobly and surreptitiously switched to another platform.
“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity.” The statement partly read.
While recalling how the lawmakers had joined the PDP from APC, the opposition party labelled them political puppets doing the bid of their paymaster.
“We recall that they had done so earlier and later recanted.
“These are people whom the world is aware are doing the bidding of their paymaster and demigod.
“The members of the Rivers state House of Assembly have by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress.” The PDP stated.