Defection: Imo speaker declares lawmaker’s seat vacant

The Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Kennedy Ibe, has declared the seat of the member representing Nkwerre State Constituency, Obinna Okwara, vacant for defecting to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Ibe has defected thrice since he was elected the representative of Obowo State Constituency in the 2019 general election. Ortom: NEC has […]

The Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Kennedy Ibe, has declared the seat of the member representing Nkwerre State Constituency, Obinna Okwara, vacant for defecting to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Ibe has defected thrice since he was elected the representative of Obowo State Constituency in the 2019 general election.

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The Speaker, who was re-elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) joined the PDP when Emeka Ihedioha was governor and immediately defected to APC when the supreme court declared Hope Uzodinma the governor of the state on January 14, 2020.

Okwara, who joined the PDP from APC last week, is among the six lawmakers suspended since December by the leadership of the House.

Ibe took the decision during the plenary on Wednesday.

The Speaker urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a by-election to fill the vacant seat.

Meanwhile, the Speaker has lifted the suspension of the representative of Ideato North State Constituency, Authur Egwim.

He said that the lawmaker had shown enough remorse in an apology letter he wrote to the House.