Two members from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who switched to the Young Progressive Party were dismissed by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly (YPP).
During Tuesday’s session, Speaker of the Assembly Aniekan Bassey made the dismissal of the lawmakers official.
Usoro Akpanuso (Esit Eket/Ibeno Constituency) and Asuquo Nana are the MPs who are impacted (Ikono Constituency).
Their dismissal stands in stark contrast to how the assembly welcomed another lawmaker, Effiong Johnson (Mbo Constituency) when he switched parties to the PDP a few months prior.
Mr. Johnson was recently honored by the PDP with a re-election bid for the 2023 Akwa Ibom House of Assembly.
Mr. Akpanuso, one of the expelled lawmakers, claimed they hadn’t informed the House of their defection.
When they haven’t notified the House of their defection, the speaker, according to Mr. Akpanuso, has no jurisdiction to proclaim their seat empty.
However, he claimed that the PDP was in crisis and cited the present campaign by a group led by the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, for the resignation of the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.
Mr. Akpanuso stated that they will take their dismissal to court.
Mr. Nana, the other expelled politician, is in Canada for a seminar on parliament.
