APC True Colour of Tanbuwal: Can't declare defecting lawmakers’ seats vacant

Nigeria House of Representatives has declared that Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal was not under pressure to declare vacant seats of the 37 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Victor Ogene (APGA, Anambra), stated this at a news briefing after a closed door session at yesterday’s plenary.

“There was no pressure on the Speaker to sack the defected legislators. If there was, we would not have held the closed door session today, he said.


He explained that they were nominal parties in the suit by virtue of their office and the counsel was briefed by the Management of the National Assembly to represent the House of Representatives as an institution.

Ogene clarified that the executive session was convoked by the leadership to create room for the legislators to talk among themselves and “and there was nothing unusual.” “We talked to ourselves in order to get things clear about the defection matter that is already in court.