In a recent interview, Falana stated, “The lawmakers swore an affidavit, confirming their departure from the PDP and defection to the APC.” He further explained that according to the constitution, unless there is a division at the national level of the party that sponsored a lawmaker’s election, defection results in the loss of their legislative seat. citeturn0search0
This development follows a series of legal battles concerning the legitimacy of the 2024 Rivers State budget. The Supreme Court recently dismissed an appeal by Governor Siminalayi Fubara against a judgment that voided the presentation and passage of the budget. Falana clarified that the apex court’s decision did not determine the authentic speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly but was based on procedural grounds. cite turn search
The crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly has been ongoing since late 2023, with the 27 defecting lawmakers citing internal divisions within the PDP as their reason for joining the APC. However, Falana insists that without evidence of a national-level division within the PDP, their defection is unconstitutional, leading to the loss of their legislative seats. citeturn search
As the situation unfolds, the affected lawmakers may seek legal redress or consider re-election under their new party to regain their positions in the assembly.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
