Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele says the seat of Abia South senator, Enyinnaya Abaribe, should be declared vacant if he has left the All Progressives Grand Alliance. Bamidele made the statement during plenary after Abaribe and eight other senators defected from their parties to the African Democratic Congress. According to him, the Nigerian Constitution provides guidance […]
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele says the seat of Abia South senator, Enyinnaya Abaribe, should be declared vacant if he has left the All Progressives Grand Alliance.
Bamidele made the statement during plenary after Abaribe and eight other senators defected from their parties to the African Democratic Congress.
According to him, the Nigerian Constitution provides guidance on situations where lawmakers change the political parties under which they were elected.
He cited Section 68 of the Constitution, which outlines conditions that may lead to the loss of a legislative seat.
Bamidele said Abaribe’s political status in the Senate could become unclear if he is no longer a member of the party that sponsored his election.
He suggested that the senator be given the opportunity to withdraw his defection letter while the issue is being considered.
The Senate Leader also noted that lawmakers in the National Assembly usually belong either to the majority or minority caucus.
He argued that the Constitution does not recognise a third category for senators who are not aligned with either group.
The development followed the defection of at least nine senators from the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party and the All Progressives Grand Alliance to the African Democratic Congress.