By Ochuko Akuopha

ASABA—THE Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, in Delta State, and the party’s Senatorial candidate for Delte Central, Senator Ovie Omo-Age have kicked against the decision of the state House of Assembly to declare the seat of the member representing Udu State Constituency, Collins Egbetamah, vacant.

The seat was declared vacant following Egbetamah’s defection from the All Progressives Congress, APC, to NDC.

The state chapter of the NDC, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary,  McCollins Nwose, said: “It is a dangerous abuse of legislative powers and a direct assault on the principles of democracy, fairness, and the rule of law.

“It is both ironic and hypocritical that the same political actors, who celebrated and retained their positions after defecting from the PDP to the APC now seek to punish another elected representative for exercising the same constitutional right. 

“Democracy cannot thrive where one law applies to the ruling party and another to the opposition.

“The mandate Egbetamah holds belongs to the people of Udu, not to any political party or a House driven by partisan interests.

“The Delta State NDC calls on all lovers of democracy, civil society organisations, and well-meaning Deltans to reject this dangerous precedent and stand in defence of constitutional democracy.”

On his part, former Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, said: “I condemn in the strongest terms the reported decision of the Delta State House of Assembly to remove Egbetamah, the duly elected representative of Udu State Constituency, without a fair hearing.

“This was not constitutional housekeeping. It was a hasty, arbitrary, oppressive and illegal act intended to achieve a political objective that disparages and injures the people of Udu, the wider Urhobo nation, and Delta State.

“The House relies on Section 109(1)(g) as if it admits of no exception. The Constitution provides an exception where a defection arises from a division in the original party. That question of fact was never examined in any legislative hearing. 

“There was also no judicial determination. The matter was rushed because a process grounded in the constitutional right to a fair hearing would not have produced the House’s predetermined outcome.

“A mandate freely given by the people of Udu cannot be extinguished in a single sitting by voice vote. That is disturbing, disrespectful, and unacceptable. It was not the intendment of the framers of our Constitution. We are not a Banana Republic. 

“Egbetamah is entitled to be heard before his seat could be declared vacant. He was denied that right, and that is a fundamental breach of our constitutional order. Where due process is bypassed, tyranny and injustice prevail. 

“A similar attempt was once made against me as a senator representing Delta Central senatorial district, but it was defeated through the integrity and independence of the judiciary. I cannot, therefore, accept its recurrence in our polity, no matter who directs it.”

“The haste, the shameful unanimity, and the timing betray the intent. This is a threat from a ruling party so afraid of defections that it resorts to arbitrary, extra-constitutional, and oppressive measures to survive. That strategy will fail in time.

“Udu State Constituency is now left without representation on the strength of this arbitrary, oppressive, and premeditated decision,” he said.