Hon. Linda Somari Stewart, one of the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected to the APC from the PDP, has reversed course.
She initially aligned with the 27-member legislative group said to be loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former governor, Nyesom Wike.
On Monday, the 27 of them had collectively dumped the governors party, PDP for the opposition party, APC. Many analysts thought the move may have been preparatory to resumption of moves to impeach governor Siminalayi Fubara from office.
Nonetheless, the remaining 5 members of the 32-member House met Wednesday and received the governor’s state budget proposal, declaring the seats of the absent 27 members vacant.
Stewart, representing Okrika state constituency, possibly fearing the loss of her seat may have led her to make a U-turn.
In the mercurial situation in Rivers State, the return to PDP effectively means Stewart has moved from Wike’s camp to Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s camp – a moral boost to the governor in his power struggle with his erstwhile political benefactor.
It remains to be seen if Stewart’s decision is individual or the testing of waters by more members hoping to return to the governor’s side.
But having declared the seats vacant, and assuming there is no legal challenge to the declaration, the onus now falls on the electoral body, INEC, to conduct fresh elections in those constituencies.
It’s unclear if the Speaker has the legal power to reverse his pronouncement.
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