THE Rivers State House of Assembly led by Victor Oko-Jumbo on Tuesday restated its resolve that the legislative seats of Martin Amaewhule and 24 others remain vacant following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on December 11, 2023.
The Assembly also said the seats must be filled through a bye-election to be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Speaker of the group, Victor Oko-Jumbo, in a statement explained that the 25 Legislative seats were declared vacant on December 13, 2023, by the then legitimately recognised Speaker, Edison Ehie.
He expressed regret over the delay by INEC to conduct bye-elections to fill the seats, nothing that the inability of INEC to do the needful since December 13, 2023, has created room for what he called “unnecessary distractions from Amaewhule and his committee of friends.”