Rivers APP Chairman Calls for Urgent By-Election After Lawmakers’ Defection

The Chairman of the Action Peoples Party (APP) in Rivers State, Hon. Sunny Wokekoro, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to swiftly organize a by-election to fill the vacant seats left by 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Wokekoro expressed concern that INEC’s delay in conducting the election is exacerbating the political crisis in the state. He pointed to the recent judgment, which confirmed and validated the defection of the 27 lawmakers.

In an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, Wokekoro reacted to the Rivers State High Court’s ruling that dismissed the suit seeking to compel Governor Siminalayi Fubara to resubmit the N800 billion 2024 budget to the defector-led Assembly. He noted that the judgment affirmed the governor’s decision to present the budget to the Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo-led Assembly, as it was in line with the law.

“The judgment clearly stated that Governor Fubara is right in presenting both the 2024 and 2025 budgets to Rt. Hon. Oko-Jumbo’s Assembly,” Wokekoro said. “As a party, we are now urging INEC to immediately organize a by-election for the seats vacated by the defected lawmakers.”

He warned that APP would pursue legal action if INEC fails to take timely action. “If INEC does not heed our call, we will explore all legal avenues to compel the commission to conduct the election.”

Wokekoro also expressed confidence that APP is well-positioned to win all the vacated seats, stating that the party has credible candidates ready to serve. “APP is one of the fastest-growing parties in the country, and it is certainly the party to beat in any upcoming election,” he declared.

The APP Chairman emphasized that the constituencies of the defected lawmakers are currently unrepresented in the State House of Assembly, which is now under the leadership of Oko-Jumbo. He called on all political parties to unite in demanding that INEC move quickly to organize a by-election to fill the vacant seats caused by the defection of the 27 lawmakers.