According to a report from the Punch, Prof Abdulkarim Kana, the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressive Congress (APC), has raised concerns about the legitimacy of the recent defections by Rivers State parliamentarians. Kana argued that a legal defection involves multiple steps, and he questioned whether the appropriate procedures were followed in this case.
Kana highlighted that a proper defection process requires the submission of a letter of resignation to the original party and receiving acceptance, as well as registering with the new party at the ward level. He emphasized the importance of formal recognition from the new party, acknowledging that its constitution or National Executive Committee (NEC) could potentially reject a membership application.
In the case of the Rivers State parliamentarians, Kana raised doubts about the adherence to these procedures, particularly given that the Speaker himself was among those defecting. He questioned to whom the lawmakers might have submitted their resignation letters, suggesting that the legitimacy of their defections is in question.
Kana stated, "If I claim I have left the party, have I written a letter of resignation to intimate the party and have they accepted my resignation? That is number one. Secondly, have I gone to my ward to register with the new party I joined and given a form of recognition? This is because the party constitution or the NEC can refuse to accept a person applying to be a member. These are all the stages that people are not taking into cognizance."
He further pointed out, "The parliamentarians must write to the speaker to indicate their interest in defecting. But the speaker himself in this case was among them. So, who did they submit their letters to?"