Senate President David Mark has told President Goodluck Jonathan and the ruling Peoples Democratic Patty (PDP) that he would not declare any Senator’s seat vacant following the imminent defection of members of the nPDP to the opposition APC, Sunday Trust heard in Abuja yesterday.

Mark had on September 17 this year told the Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje leadership of the nPDP that he would not declare any senator’s seat vacant as a result of the factionalisation of the ruling party.

PDP National Chairman Alhaji Bamanga Tukur had then threatened that the defecting lawmakers in the National Assembly risked losing their seat in parliament.

A ranking senator who spoke on the condition of anonymity told Sunday Trust yesterday that, on Wednesday, the Presidency and the PDP met with the Senate President at the presidential villa where they asked him to immediately declare the defecting senators seats vacant.

“But the Senate president told them that he would not do that because no senator has written to him formally notifying him of his intention to leave the PDP. He also told them that even if a senator writes, it is not in his powers to do so as only the courts can make such a declaration,” the senator said.

With 12 PDP senators joining the APC, the party now has 41 legislators in the Red Chamber. Bello Hayatu Gwarzo, the Senate Chief Whip, has declined to join the APC. From Rivers State, senators Magnus Abe and Wilson Asinobi Ake are with Governor Rotimi Ameachi. Also the three Sokoto senators, namely Ahmed Mohammed Maccido, Umaru Dahiru Tambuwal and Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir are now in the APC.

In the same vein, senators Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Mohammed Lafiagi are with the APC while Senator Simeon Ajibola told journalists yesterday that he has never identified with the G7 group and will remain in the main stream PDP.

Some PDP senators who have fallen out with their governors had in September identified with the G22. They include Aisha Jummai Alhassan from Taraba State.

Similarly, senators Mohammed Danjuma Goje and Saidu Ahmed Alkali from Gombe State are with the nPDP, but it not is clear if they too will join the APC. Already, the Labour Party (LP) has two senators from Ondo State and one from Plateau State.

From Nasarawa State, former governor Abdullahi Adamu has joined the APC, while it is not clear whether Suleiman Adoke, who has been part of the nPDP faction has joined the APC.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has Senator Chris Anyanwu from Imo State as its only senator. The ruling PDP still controls the Senate with 59 senators in its fold.

While Senator Simeon Ajibola (PDP, Kwara), believed the merger would not shake the PDP because, to him, most of those who left for the APC are lightweight politicians, Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe), has described it as a new development in the political evolution of Nigeria. To him “it will deepen and entrench democracy in our journey as a nation since there will be a stronger opposition which is as larger and bigger as the ruling party at the centre.”

Senator Lawan maintained that Nigerians would now benefit from the rivalry of manifestos and programmes of the two major political parties.

Sources in the Senate said the defecting senators might have decided not to formally announce their defection on the floor of the Senate but will continue to identify with the APC “until the right time”.

Source:http://247nigerianewsupdate.com/defection-i-cant-declare-any-senators-seat-vacant-mark-tells-jonathan-pdp/

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It is a welcome development and it's absolutely good 4 our Democracy. There will now be more competitions among our two major political parties, if one is not performing it will be easy 2 vote in d second party dat is ready 2 perform. An absolute power corrupt absolutely.

Is it the function of Senator David mark to declare the defectors seat vacant or any court of competent jurisdiction ?

Am sure it's the later . . . . .

we are gradually moving to a strong two party democracy, exactly what many have been clamouring for.i hope we get there.

I wonder why Jonathan is scared! Is there something he isn't telling us?

berem: I wonder why Jonathan is scared! Is there something he isn't telling us?

I don't think he is scared of anything. He is just being a civilian president and a democrat.
An OBJ would have sent Anenih since to whip those guys into line.
Nigerians should learn to appreciate and enjoy this truly civilian president or they will get a military one like Buhari.
Crying then would be too late.

Where are those E-warriors shouting that the defectors seat would be declared vacant by PDP??

A year ago on NL, it was APC is dead on arrival, APC about to implode, APC this and that, but today, the hunter is now the hunted and this is just the beginning...


Here we have a weak, incompetent and ineffective president with zero ability to properly manage his own house and political party. He's now scrambling for survival after trashing his goodwill and wasting several opportunities to reach out and quiet the storm brewing in his party.

Sadly for him, he deployed confrontation, oppressive and repressive tactics like a political neophyte (Which he really is), he hired bingos and dogs to attack and insult people all over the place, he failed to restrain his wife as she wreck havoc in rivers state and elsewhere, instead of firing barmanga tuku or whatever is name is, he succumbed to his dangerous and foolish advice that manifested today's scenario and irreversible loss.

GEJ is weak and incompetent is not an insult because the man is really weak and incompetent and even on top, he is not a wise man.


David Mark is not a foolish man, he's capable of and comprehending the writing on the wall..

donphilopus: Where are those E-warriors shouting that the defectors seat would be declared vacant by PDP??

The moment those defectors receive APC membership cards, they cease to be members of PDP and also relinquish PDP mandate. Watch as it unfolds, I have never been wrong. Right now, they are testing the waters.

Billyonaire:

The moment those defectors receive APC membership cards, they cease to be members of PDP and also relinquish PDP mandate. Watch as it unfolds, I have never been wrong. Right now, they are testing the waters.

And the meaning of this is what exactly? Is dumping PDP and their garbage not the idea to start with?

Onlytruth:

I don't think he is scared of anything. He is just being a civilian president and a democrat.
An OBJ would have sent Anenih since to whip those guys into line.
Nigerians should learn to appreciate and enjoy this truly civilian president or they will get a military one like Buhari.
Crying then would be too late.

asking the legislators seat to be declared vacant because they intend to move to another party makes him a democrat okwa ya? Biko gwa m okwu bara uru!

Remember that the CAPTAIN can decide to sink the ship when threatened by pirates.

Ngene-Ukwenu:
If he tries it, he will be impeached immediately . Jonathan, Nigerians have rejected you, go back to Otueke with your Shepoo and get served sapele water

careful what u believe. Those people at 247 reporters lie worse then sahara reporter so unless it comes out on all Nigerian dailies I refuse to believe

plaindealer:



And the meaning of this is what exactly? Is dumping PDP and their garbage not the idea to start with?

You missed the point. Once they receive the APC membership card, the following applies........

" A member of the senate or house of representatives shall vacate his seat at the house of which he is a member if - (g) being a person whose election to the house was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another party before the expiration of the period for which that hours was elected: provided that his membership at the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored."

-Nigerian Constitution section 68 (1) (g) and section 109 (1) (g).



The issue is: why are the defecting legislators deceiving the public by refusing to formalize their defection (untIl the tIme Is rIght) and yet "identify" with their new party? You are either here or you are there, stop rubbishing the integrity of the constitution just so you can do the job of the "inside man" for APC. That's dishonest and corrupt.

Raggedy_Ann:

You missed the point. Once they receive the APC membership card, the following applies........

" A member of the senate or house of representatives shall vacate his seat at the house of which he is a member if - (g) being a person whose election to the house was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another party before the expiration of the period for which that hours was elected: provided that his membership at the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored."

-Nigerian Constitution section 68 (1) (g) and section 109 (1) (g).

The issue is: why are the defecting legislators deceiving the public by refusing to formalize their defection (untIl the tIme Is rIght) and yet "identify" with their new party? You are either here or you are there, stop rubbishing the integrity of the constitution just so you can do the job of the "inside man" for APC. That's dishonest and corrupt

sections 64(1)(g) of the 1979 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria given judicial interpretation by the Supreme Court in the case of FEDECO Vs Goni (1983) FNR 203. (Chief FRA Williams SAN and GOK Ajayi SAN). The court held that such a member keeps his seat if his defection is as a result of a division or split in his party,”

Whats dishonest and corrupt is your bogus and ignorant interpretation of the constitution and it's subsequent applications.

Now, how many of your cross carpeting PDP members lost their seats after jumping ship to the PDP even without any known crisis in and outside their party?

Mark said only the courts can do it for reason and the court's stance regarding defection is up there for you to see..

Try again, you might get lucky.

A mild drama played out on the floor of the Senate at its resumption on Tuesday as Senator Uche Chukwumerije announced his change of party affiliation.



In a letter to the President of the Senate, Chukwumerije informed the Senate that he had dumped Progressive Peoples Alliance for the Peoples Democratic Party.



The terse letter read, “It is my constitutional duty to inform your Excellency and the Senate that I am now a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.”



A loud murmuring from senators immediately started as David Mark finished reading the letter.



A point of order raised by Senator Ahmed Lawan of the ANPP to challenge the defection was turned down by the President of the Senate.



Another one by Senator George Sekibo tried to draw the attention of the Senate to the fact that Chukwumerije had been a severe critic of those moving from the minority parties to the PDP.



He said, “Chukumerije has always criticised those moving from that side to this side and now he is moving.”



But again, Mark ruled him out of order saying that since he came under the order for breach of his privilege, there was no evidence that the defection of Chukwumerije affected him as a senator.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201009290383993



He not only defected to the PDP, the senate president didn't question him or vacate his seat, he even protected him...


Hypocrites...

I still remembered dat man. Of God dat said der willl be problem in PDP der will be division
Dat GUDLUCK will be troubled but GUDLUCK will still overcome
Does anyone remembered dat prophesy?

donphilopus: Where are those E-warriors shouting that the defectors seat would be declared vacant by PDP??

They ar warnin up, . But am sure issues wud still be raised abt this case.

Btw this ya siggy Na die o .
Dnt Tell mi u de use am to intimidate some E-warriors

plaindealer: A year ago on NL, it was APC is dead on arrival, APC about to implode, APC this and that, but today, the hunter is now the hunted and this is just the beginning...


Here we have a weak, incompetent and ineffective president with zero ability to properly manage his own house and political party. He's now scrambling for survival after trashing his goodwill and wasting several opportunities to reach out and quiet the storm brewing in his party.

Sadly for him, he deployed confrontation, oppressive and repressive tactics like a political neophyte (Which he really is), he hired bingos and dogs to attack and insult people all over the place, he failed to restrain his wife as she wreck havoc in rivers state and elsewhere, instead of firing barmanga tuku or whatever is name is, he succumbed to his dangerous and foolish advice that manifested today's scenario and irreversible loss.

GEJ is weak and incompetent is not an insult because the man is really weak and incompetent and even on top, he is not a wise man.


David Mark is not a foolish man, he's capable of and comprehending the writing on the wall..

It seems Military men have proved to be more than capable when it comes to taking decisive decisions,Mark just stood is ground.APC is seriously gaining ground.PDP's end seems very near.

plaindealer:




Whats dishonest and corrupt is your bogus and ignorant interpretation of the constitution and it's subsequent applications.

Now, how many of your cross carpeting PDP members lost their seats after jumping ship to the PDP even without any known crisis in and outside their party?

Mark said only the courts can do it for reason and the court's stance regarding defection is up there for you to see..

Try again, you might get lucky.

Oh i WILL try again! although it's definite you will still not see the point, so lucky? NO, I don't expect miracles. In that piece of case law you quoted, the court held that "such a member keeps his seat if his defection is as a result of a division or split in his party". This is in ACCORDANCE with: "......vacate his seat ....provided that his membership at the latter political party is NOT as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member....... So your example just corroborates that quote from the constitution. The cat ate the mouse; the mouse was eaten by the cat. The bottom line is: the mouse is now in the cat's belly (you want to lecture me on 'ignorant interpretation'?). I don't have clarification whether it is David Mark that declares the seats vacant or the courts, after the defecting members have vacated their seats....but that declaration WOULD be made after defecting from PDP to APC.

If they are to defect to nPDP, the exception applies and they would retain their seats since the defection resulted from a split.

drnoel:
careful what u believe. Those people at 247 reporters lie worse then sahara reporter so unless it comes out on all Nigerian dailies I refuse to believe

Truth is we all choose to believe what we want to believe irrespective of the source.

and so?

Raggedy_Ann:

You missed the point. Once they receive the APC membership card, the following applies........

" A member of the senate or house of representatives shall vacate his seat at the house of which he is a member if - (g) being a person whose election to the house was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another party before the expiration of the period for which that hours was elected: provided that his membership at the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored."

-Nigerian Constitution section 68 (1) (g) and section 109 (1) (g).



The issue is: why are the defecting legislators deceiving the public by refusing to formalize their defection (untIl the tIme Is rIght) and yet "identify" with their new party? You are either here or you are there, stop rubbishing the integrity of the constitution just so you can do the job of the "inside man" for APC. That's dishonest and corrupt.

bros 4get constitution where was PDP wen obanikoro decamp to pdp ?

Raggedy_Ann:

You missed the point. Once they receive the APC membership card, the following applies........

" A member of the senate or house of representatives shall vacate his seat at the house of which he is a member if - (g) being a person whose election to the house was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another party before the expiration of the period for which that hours was elected: provided that his membership at the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored."

-Nigerian Constitution section 68 (1) (g) and section 109 (1) (g).



The issue is: why are the defecting legislators deceiving the public by refusing to formalize their defection (untIl the tIme Is rIght) and yet "identify" with their new party? You are either here or you are there, stop rubbishing the integrity of the constitution just so you can do the job of the "inside man" for APC. That's dishonest and corrupt.

bros 4get constitution where was PDP wen obanikoro decamp to pdp ?

Lol.. Mumu Government