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Goddy Umukoro
The Office of the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly has defended the declaration of the seat of the former member representing Udu State Constituency vacant, insisting that the action was a constitutional obligation rather than an act of political persecution.
In a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Nkem Nwaeke, the Speaker’s Office dismissed allegations by the former lawmaker that he was politically victimised, describing such claims as misleading and inconsistent with the facts surrounding his defection from the political party on whose platform he was elected.
According to the statement, the House acted strictly in line with Section 109(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), which provides that a member of a State House of Assembly shall vacate his or her seat upon defecting to another political party before the expiration of the legislative term, except where the defection results from a division within the sponsoring party or a merger of political parties.
The Speaker’s Office stated that the former lawmaker, through a voluntary resignation letter, informed the House of his decision to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in pursuit of his political ambition.
It argued that pursuing a political aspiration in another party does not fall within the constitutional exceptions that permit a legislator to retain his seat after leaving the party that sponsored his election.
“As a legal practitioner, the former member is undoubtedly aware of the legal consequences of his decision. It is therefore surprising that he now seeks to portray the constitutional outcome of his voluntary action as persecution,” the statement said.
The Speaker’s Office further alleged that the declaration of the seat merely formalised what it described as the former member’s prolonged disengagement from legislative responsibilities.
According to the statement, official attendance records showed that the former lawmaker was absent from plenary sittings on 22 occasions during the First Session (June 2023–June 2024), 27 occasions during the Second Session (June 2024–June 2025), and 38 occasions during the Third Session (June 2025–June 2026).
It also accused the former legislator of failing to attend committee meetings and neglecting his responsibilities as Chairman of the House Committee on Trade and Investment, a development it said affected the effective functioning of the committee.
The statement further noted that the former lawmaker was absent during the presentation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori before the House, describing the budget presentation as a constitutional and historic legislative event that traditionally requires the attendance of all members.
According to the Speaker’s Office, the absence was without justifiable cause and ran contrary to established parliamentary practices and legislative protocols.
It maintained that the Delta State House of Assembly has a constitutional duty to uphold the sanctity of the electoral mandate and cannot ignore what it described as a clear constitutional breach because of political sentiments.
“The declaration of his seat vacant was neither arbitrary nor politically motivated; it was a constitutional obligation imposed on the House by the supreme law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement added.
The Speaker’s Office reaffirmed the commitment of the House leadership to the rule of law, constitutionalism and representative democracy, stating that its decisions would continue to be guided by the Constitution, the Standing Orders of the House and the public interest.
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