By Ugonne Uzoma
The Speaker of the Imo House of Assembly, Mr Kennedy Ibeh (APC Obowo), has declared vacant the seat of Mr Obinna Okwarra, representing Nkwerre constituency.
Ibeh made the declaration following a motion moved by Mr Blyden Amajirionwu (APC Ngor Okpala), and seconded by Mr Chiji Collins (APC Isiala Mbano).
Amajirionwu said that Okwarra had defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in contravention of section 109, subsection 1g of the constitution.
According to him, the law stipulates that no member should defect to another party before the expiration of his tenure, if his election was sponsored by another party.
He presented pictorial and video evidence of Okwarra’s defection, which was played on the floor of the house.
The speaker said that his discretion in resolving the matter was tied to the evidence presented to prove that the provisions of the constitutuon had been contravened.
“Satisfactory evidence has been presented to prove that Okwarra has become a member of a party other than the one that sponsored his election. “His seat is therefore declared vacant,” Ibeh said.
He further directed the Clerk, Mrs Chinelo Emeghara, to foward a clean copy of the house resolution to the Independent National Electoral Commission to schedule a date for a bye election for the election of a new representative.
Also at the plenary session, the speaker announced the recall of Dr Arthur Egwim (APC Ideato North) from suspension, following his letter of apology to the house.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Egwim was suspended on Dec. 23, 2021 for not participating in the processes leading to the passage of the 2022 Appropriation Bill. (NAN)
