Three state lawmakers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State have denied resigning from their seats.
During plenary on Tuesday, the speaker of the state assembly, Francis Nwifuru, read letters purportedly from Okechukwu (Ishielu North); Franca Okpo Abakaliki North) and Victor Aleke (Ebonyi West) announcing their resignations.
Mr Nwifuru, who thereafter declared their seats vacant, directed the Clerk of the House of notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in writing and the need for replacement through the conduct of a fresh election.
TODAY POLITICS observed that only lawmakers of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who were sacked last week by a federal high court in Abuja were present while the three lawmakers said to have resigned and five other lawmakers belonging to the PDP were absent during the plenary.
But reacting to the development, Mr Aleke described the actions of the APC lawmakers as illegal.
“What they have done today by purporting to sit and declare our seats vacant amounts to contempt of court and the court may declare them wanted if care is not taken,” The Nation quoted the lawmaker as saying on behalf of his colleagues whose seats were declared vacant.
“We have no reason whatsoever to resign our seats. We are still lawmakers representing our various constituencies and we enjoin our supporters and the general public to disregard what they have done,” Mr Aleke added.
