Rivers Senator want Bwacha’s seat declared vacant for defecting

Senator George Thompson Sekibo representing Rivers East Senatorial district on Tuesday asked the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan to declared Senator Emmanuel Bwacha’s seat vacant.

Bwacha representing Taraba South Senatorial district on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defected to the ruling party Progressives Congress (APC), citing factionalisation of PDP reasons for his defection.

But on Tuesday during the plenary, his Rivers counterpart urged the Senate President to pronounce vacancy on the
former deputy minority leader’s seat, saying that his defection was in breach of the provisions of the Constitution.

Sekibo spoke after Senator Emmanuel Bwacha through Order 42 of Senate rules announced his defection to the APC.

In a counter order, Sekibo cited the provisions of Section 68 (g)(h) and subsection 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) adducing reasons that Senator Emmanuel Bwacha should be sacked to allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh election for Taraba South Senatorial district.

Sekibo was however ruled out of order by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.
Lawan observed that Sekibo’s demand was null as Senator Bwacha had explained that the PDP in Taraba was factionalised.

He also drew Sekibo’s attention to a letter by the National Chairman of PDP nominating a new deputy leader to replace Bwacha.

According to Lawan, the decision by the PDP caucus in the Senate to intimate the National Body of the opposition party of a new nomination translates to an acceptance of Bwacha’s resignation from the PDP.

The Senate President, on the strength of the reasons advanced, ruled Sekibo out of order.