The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie has declared the seats of 25 members vacant, citing their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The move comes after 27 lawmakers, including the 25 whose seats were declared vacant, announced their defection to the APC on Monday.
The affected members are loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, who has been locked in a bitter political rivalry with Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Speaker Ehie made the announcement on Wednesday morning during a plenary session, saying the action was in accordance with Section 109 (1) (g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.
The Ehie-led lawmakers, who are loyal to Governor Fubara, are currently holding their sessions inside the Government House, Port Harcourt.
This follows the demotion of the Assembly Complex by the Fubara-led government. Recall that there was an arson attack on the complex on October 29, 2023. The attack was allegedly carried out by individuals loyal to Fubara in an attempt to foil an impeachment plot against the governor.
