Omo-Agege condemns removal of lawmaker over defection, calls it unconstitutional

Former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege has strongly condemned the Delta State House of Assembly's decision to remove Udu Constituency lawmaker Collins Egbetamah following his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

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I condemn in the strongest terms the reported decision of the Delta House of Assembly to remove Egbetamah, the duly elected representative of Udu State Constituency, without a fair hearing.

Omo-Agege, who is also the NDC candidate for the Delta Central Senatorial District in the upcoming election, described the assembly's action as unconstitutional, politically motivated, and a violation of Egbetamah's fundamental right to a fair hearing. He stated that the removal was a "hasty, arbitrary, oppressive, and illegal act intended to achieve a political objective that disparages and injures the people of Udu, the wider Urhobo nation, and Delta."

The former deputy Senate president challenged the assembly's reliance on Section 109(1)(g) of the constitution, arguing that it does not automatically apply when a defection stems from internal divisions within a political party. He emphasized that the constitutional exceptions were not examined in any legislative hearing or judicial determination, suggesting the matter was rushed to achieve a predetermined outcome.

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This is not constitutional housekeeping. It is a hasty, arbitrary, oppressive, and illegal act intended to achieve a political objective that disparages and injures the people of Udu, the wider Urhobo nation, and Delta.

"A mandate freely given by the people of Udu cannot be extinguished in a single sitting by voice vote. That is disturbing, disrespectful, and unacceptable," Omo-Agege declared, adding, "It was not the intendment of the framers of our Constitution. We are not a Banana Republic."

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The Constitution provides an exception where a defection arises from a division in the original party. That question of fact was never examined in any legislative hearing. There was also no judicial determination.

He recalled a similar past attempt against him as a senator, asserting that Mr. Egbetamah was denied his right to be heard before his seat was declared vacant, constituting a fundamental breach of the constitutional order. Omo-Agege warned that bypassing due process leads to tyranny and injustice.

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A mandate freely given by the people of Udu cannot be extinguished in a single sitting by voice vote. That is disturbing, disrespectful, and unacceptable.