•Okonkwo and Diri
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress and Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to declare the seat of Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, vacant following his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party.
It was earlier reported that Diri resigned from the PDP alongside members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly yesterday, sparking speculation that he may be set to join the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The governor, who said his resignation was for “obvious reasons,” did not elaborate on his grievances with the party, reports The PUNCH.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, in a statement yesterday, said the governor “made the announcement during an expanded State Executive Council meeting in Government House, Yenagoa, which had in attendance Speaker of the House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere, his deputy, Michael Ogbere, the All Progressives Grand Alliance minority leader, Edward Brigidi and seven other lawmakers.”
According to the statement, Diri decided to quit the PDP after extensive consultations with leaders of the state.
He thanked his supporters who have stood firmly with him and his government, urging them to continue as he builds a strong and vibrant Bayelsa.
However, the governor did not mention the resignation of his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who was absent at the meeting, in his announcement.
In a post on his Instagram page last night, Okonkwo argued that Diri had automatically vacated his seat as governor by resigning from his party and not belonging to any political party.
Okonkwo cited Section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which stipulates that a person shall be qualified for election to the office of governor if he is “a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party.”
He stated that INEC should act without delay, declaring the seat vacant and organising a fresh election within three months.
Okonkwo wrote, “Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has just vacated his seat as governor by resigning from the PDP and not belonging to any party.
“The position of the law is that every elected member of the government must be a member of a political party, as provided in Section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution.
“Governor Diri, being not a member of any political party, has lost his seat as governor. An elected member of government can only defect from one party to another, but cannot be partyless at any point in time.
“I therefore call on INEC to declare his seat vacant immediately and conduct a gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State within the next 90 days.”
