Legal practitioners and residents have backed governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, in his call for legal action against governors who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking in an interview, a legal practitioner, Barrister Prince Dubon, said that a party could take legal action against any member who defects to another party.
He however said by the country’s constitution every person had right to associate and so leave one political party for another.
He said by party’s constitution any interested party could take legal action against member of political party who defects to another party.
He said politicians leave their party for another party because of interest saying that it could be for selfish interest.
The legal practitioner said: “By the constitution of the party they don’t have any power to leave for another party”.
He said he agreed with the governor who had said legal action should be taken against governors of Cross River and Ebonyi States, Prof. Ben Ayade and Dave Umahi respectively, for defecting from the party to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Dubon said: “I uphold the argument of His Excellency Chief Nyesom Wike that legal action should be instituted against the governor of Ebonyi State and also his counterpart in Cross River State”.
Also speaking, another lawyer, Ukandu Osi, also said that he agreed with the governor that legal action be taken against those who left the party for another party.
He said: “Legal action can be taken against those who defect to another party”.
He said those in elective position should be encouraged to complete their tenure under platform of the party they were elected.
The governor had urged legal action against governors of Ebonyi and Cross Rivers states for leaving the party without any good reason.
Governor Wike said: “I have encouraged the Peoples Democratic Party they must file a suit against the governor of Ebonyi State David Umahi and the governor of Cross River State Ben Ayade for defecting to the All Progressives Congress without any reason proffered as provided in the constitution or any other enabling law. Let it be on record that the party had been able to challenge this and let us await the outcome of the decision of the court because the court have a role to strengthen our democracy”.
He added: “Part of the role the court must play is to make a final pronouncement on this issue of defection from one party to the other having been elected on a particular political party and when there are no divisions in the party and people will come up with all kind of excuses”.
He said the judiciary should make final pronouncement on the issue saying it would go a long way to strengthen the country’s democracy and urged the party to take action.
“If we do not take action you will find out a situation where you have a one party state and that will not be good for our democracy. What PDP is looking for is not just that they want to reclaim the seat but that a pronouncement must be made by the judiciary on this incessant defection without any reason”.
Speaking on the issue, a resident based in the capital said that defection should be banned.
The resident simply named Zion said that government officials elected under a party platform should be prevented from leaving the party to another party.
Other residents who spoke also said the governor was right in calling for action against governors who defected.
