SELECTIVE JUSTICE: Delta Assembly Declares Lawmaker’s Seat Vacant Over Defection

Rita Enemuru, Reporting 

THE Delta State House of Assembly on Tuesday declared the seat of the member representing Udu State Constituency, Hon. Collins Egbetamah, vacant following his resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and subsequent defection to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Stonix News recalls that members of the Assembly of the shredded Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who were in the majority all defected to the APC last year without applying the rules of declaring their seats vacant.

The selective decision came after the adoption of a motion moved by the House Leader, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi, seconded by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Arthur Akpowowo, and unanimously approved during plenary presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Dennis Guwor.

In declaring the seat vacant, the Speaker said the House acted in accordance with Section 109(1)(g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which requires a lawmaker elected on the platform of a political party to vacate his seat upon joining another party, except in circumstances recognised by the Constitution.

Guwor directed the Clerk of the House to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant authorities, urging the electoral body to commence the constitutional process for a by-election to fill the vacancy in line with Section 116(2) of the Constitution.

Moving the motion, Nwaobi said documentary evidence before the House confirmed that Egbetamah had defected from the APC to the NDC while still serving as a member of the Assembly, thereby triggering the constitutional provision on loss of legislative seat.

Earlier, the Speaker read Egbetamah’s letter dated June 19, 2026, informing the House that he had resigned from the APC on April 30, 2026, to pursue his political aspirations. In the letter, the lawmaker expressed appreciation to the APC and its stakeholders for their support during his membership of the party.