In a recent interview with Arise Television, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Oba Maduabuchi made a revelation regarding the status of certain members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. According to Maduabuchi, these legislators have lost their seats due to their defection from the People's Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Maduabuchi emphasized that the constitution of Nigeria is unequivocal on this matter. "As of today, those people are former members of Rivers State House of Assembly by the pronouncement of the constitution, not by anybody but by the constitution," he stated.
He clarified that the constitution takes precedence over all other authorities, including the Supreme Court, in matters of legislative membership and party affiliation. "When the constitution speaks, everybody including the Supreme Court listens. Once you change your political party in Nigeria today, and you are a legislator, you automatically lose your seat without any pronouncement."
This pronouncement comes in the wake of a political shakeup in Rivers State, where several members of the House of Assembly switched their allegiance from the PDP to the APC. According to Maduabuchi, these legislators' attempts to retain their positions despite their defections are legally untenable. He noted, "The most those PDP members can do is to pretend that they didn't decamp, and that's what they have been trying to do. But they forgot that they have sworn affidavits in various courts admitting that they had left their party and joined the APC."
Click the link to watch the video clip. Start watching from 00:10 to 1:52