INEC to Fubara: Don’t mislead public on defection of 27 Rivers lawmakers

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has responded to claims by Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers state, that it failed to enforce constitutional provisions on political defections.

Speaking on Thursday at the sixth edition of Freedom Online’s annual lecture, Fubara accused INEC of selectively applying the law, particularly in cases where lawmakers switch political parties.

“The judiciary, legislature, security agencies, and electoral bodies often operate under political influence, weakening democracy,” he said.

“INEC has failed to uphold the law on political defections. According to the constitution, lawmakers who leave the party on which they were elected should lose their seats. However, INEC’s selective enforcement raises concerns about its neutrality.”

His comments come amid the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State following the defection of 27 lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The split has deepened divisions in the state assembly.

Following the defections, the remaining lawmakers called on INEC to conduct by-elections to replace them. However, the electoral body has maintained that the matter is currently before the courts.

Responding in a statement on Friday, Rotimi Oyekanmi, spokesperson for the INEC chairman, said the commission is aware of the situation but cannot intervene while the case remains unresolved in court.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Commission has been joined in several suits filed by litigants at various courts, including the Supreme Court,” the statement reads.

“Under the circumstances, the Commission must await the final judicial pronouncement on the matter before it embarks on a puerile exercise that may eventually amount to a nullity and a waste of public funds.”

Oyekanmi public officials to be circumspect in their public statements “before they mislead the public and cast aspersion on public institutions, particularly where they are aware of the pendancy of cases in court”.