Ebonyi State House of Assembly, has declared vacant the seats of three members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Speaker, Mr Francis Nwifuru, also directed the clerk to write to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission, of the development and the need to conduct fresh elections in the affected constituencies.
The decision followed a letter of resignation purportedly written by the three lawmakers.
The three lawmakers include, Ali Okechukwu (Ishielu North); Franca Okpo Abakaliki North) and Victor Aleke (Ebonyi West)
The embattled Speaker of the House, Francis Nwifuru read the letter during an emergency sitting of the House. A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on March 8, 2022, sacked the Ebonyi State Speaker, Francis Nwifuru, and 15 other Lawmakers for defecting from PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The member representing Ohaukwu South had moved a motion to that effect which was seconded by Chukwuma Igwe (Onicha West).
All three lawmakers and their other five PDP counterparts did not attend the sitting while all the 15 APC lawmakers were present.
However, one of the affected lawmakers Victor Aleke, said that the Assembly act was contemptuous of the judgment of court sacking the lawmakers.
He said that it was inconceivable for the 15 lawmakers who were sacked by the Federal High Court to declare their seats vacant.
“We hereby urge all constituents of these members whose seats were purportedly declared vacant to remain calm and peaceful as the court pronouncement that sacked the 16 Ebonyi State House of Assembly members still stands until they get a stay of execution or get favourable judgement from the appellate court,”
