Defection: Assembly Declares Ex-Speaker Abok’s Seat Vacant

The Plateau State House of Assembly yesterday declared the seat of the member representing Jos East State Constituency, Ayuba Abok, vacant. This is because he defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The House took the decision during a plenary that took place at the temporary chamber at the Old Government House, Jos and presided over by the Speaker, Sanda Ayuba.

The decision of the House followed a letter from the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), urging the Speaker to declare Abok’s seat vacant following his defection to the PDP contrary to section 109 (1) of the Nigerian Constitution.

The state party Chairman, Rufus Bature, in a letter, informed the Speaker that they are in receipt of a letter from the former Speaker seeking his membership withdrawal from the party.

“In view of the above, the APC, the party which sponsored his election, wishes to request that, as the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, you should invoke the power conferred on you by section 109 (ii) to, accordingly, declare vacant the seat of Nuhu Abok Ayuba since the constitutional conditions that warranted his defection do not exist,” the statement read.

The Speaker further declared the Rukuba/Irigwe State Constituency seat vacant, following the former member Musa Agah’s victory at the recent Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency by-election.

The Majority Leader of the House who is also Chairman of House Committee on Information and Rules and Ethics, Nanlong Daniel accused the former Speaker Abok of impersonating the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly by addressing a letter with the letterhead of the office of the Speaker.

A member of the PDP and member representing Riyom State Constituency, Timothy Dantong had kicked against the declaration of the former Speaker’s seat vacant without a fair hearing and described it as illegal.