PDP urges INEC to declare Rep Nkwonta’s seat vacant following defection

The Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the seat of Chris Nkwonta, the lawmaker representing Ukwa East and Ukwa West in the House of Representatives, vacant.

This request follows Nkwonta’s defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday during a session in the House.

In a statement by Jude Ndukwe, Media Adviser to the PDP Caretaker Committee in Abia, the party also called on INEC to organize a new election within the constitutionally mandated time frame to fill the now-vacant seat.

The PDP maintains that Nkwonta’s defection to the APC does not align with the legal provisions governing such moves.

Ndukwe added that there was no internal issue in the state’s PDP and even at the federal level for Knwonta to justify his abuse of the law.

Ndukwe, in the statement, said, “This call on INEC is for the electoral body to comply with the provisions of Section 68(1)(g) & (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) since Hon. Nkwonta’s defection did not meet the conditions precedent to the defection of a federal lawmaker as provided for by our laws.

However, a former Chief of Staff in the state, Don Ubani, who is a member of PDP from the Ukwa-East and Ukwa-West Federal constituency, said the defection of Nkwonta was in line with the decision of the party’s chieftain in the constituency.