The national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has threatened to take legal action against any of the party’s lawmakers who decamps from the party.
The warning which was issued on Friday in Abuja by Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP came at a time when Ebonyi State legislators are speculated to be plotting to decamp to the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The formal defection of David Umahi of Ebonyi State to the APC had made speculations rife that lawmakers at the state and federal levels were scheming to join him.
“That was an issue that was discussed both at the caucus and at the NEC meeting yesterday. I want to place on record that any legislator elected on the platform of the PDP in Ebonyi State will not run away with our mandate.
“I want to assure Nigerians on that. We are going to challenge it and for the first time, we are going to subject that process to judicial test because it is clearly stated in the constitution that unless there is a division within the party, you cannot be a member of the parliament and change parties. The situation we have in Imo State; we are going to test that law in the court,” Ologbondiyan said.
Responding to questions on whether the PDP NWC has the powers to dissolve the Ebonyi State Executive Committee and the South-East Zonal Executive Committee of the party as it did, Ologbondiyan said the NWC had the required mandate.
He said, “We have the power to act on behalf of NEC, the highest organ of the party and we have done that in this circumstance.
“The decision of the NWC to dissolve the state executive in Ebonyi and the zonal executives in the South-East stands and is accepted by NEC.”
Asked if the same would apply to the state governor, David Umahi, he said, “The constitution does not provide for the sanction of the executive arm.”