In a bold move, the International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights, a prominent civil society organization, announces its legal challenge against the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who recently switched allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC), in a statement.
The lawmakers, previously aligned with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are accused of violating the constitution by abandoning their original mandate.
The CSO contends that the legislators, purportedly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, acted unconstitutionally in defecting to the APC amid political strife between Governor Sminalayi Fubara and the FCT Minister.
The organization asserts that the lawmakers, elected under the PDP banner, breached the trust of the electorate by advocating for a different party’s agenda while still holding their original mandate.
Chief Jackson Omenazu, the chancellor of the Civil Organization, asserts that the failure of the lawmakers to adhere to constitutional provisions will be deemed unlawful.
The CSO plans to use protests to demand justice for the people of Rivers State, asserting that their mandate is at risk of manipulation through political maneuvering, NN News Media gathered.
Omenazu emphasizes the constitutional perspective, stating, “By constitutional provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the 27 parliamentarians in Rivers State who abandoned their mandate given to them by political parties have ceased to be parliamentarians.”
He urges the Federal Government and the APC to distance themselves from disorder and criminal activities, calling for responsible behavior from political leaders.
The CSO demands the immediate vacation of parliamentary seats by the defected lawmakers, asserting that a mandate abandoned is a mandate lost.
Omenazu warns the legislators that non-compliance with the law’s provisions will lead to a prolonged legal dispute between the CSO and the concerned lawmakers.
