Deputy Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Barrister Odefa Obasi Odefa
‘I remain committed member of PDP’ – Ebonyi Assembly Deputy Speaker
[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]
Deputy Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Barrister Odefa Obasi Odefa, says he remains a loyal, committed and proud member of the People’s Democratic Party, despite the defection of Governor David Umahi to the All Progressives Congress.
Umahi defected to the APC on November 2020 citing injustice by the PDP against the people of the South East zone.
Odefa, a four term lawmaker who represents Onicha East State Constituency, who addressed Journalists on Saturday at his residence in Abakaliki, following speculations surrounding which political party he belongs since the defection of Governor Umahi, said the PDP was at peace and there was no reason that could engender his defection to another political party.
“As a lawmaker, a democrat and a firm believer in the tenets of the rule of law, I am very much aware of the provisions of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as (amended), especially section 68(1)g, which clearly spells out the constitutional consequences of a lawmaker who defects from the political party which sponsored them for election to another political party.
“The constitution also spells out in clear terms the conditions that could engender defection from the political party on whose platform one is elected to another political party.
“Also, it is a well established legislative tradition and convention that a lawmaker who wishes to defect from his political party to another political party is required to formally write to the Speaker of the House informing him/her and other lawmakers in plenary of such decision, it is on record that I have never taken this decision and no such letter has ever been on the floor of Ebonyi State House of Assembly.
“Consequently, this press briefing is to unequivocally state that in have remained a loyal party man and that is not about to change any time soon.
“My party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from the Ward, Local Government, State and at the National levels remain at peace, united and do not in any way present the avenue that could engender my defection from the party to another Party,” Odefa said.
Odefa further stated that “he is a major beneficiary of the benevolence and good standing of the PDP, having been elected into the House for a record four terms all on the platform of the PDP.
He added thus: “I do not have any moral ground or justification to abandon the party that has been so good to me. More so, after extensive consultations with my constituents at different levels, my constituents have made it very clear that they remain loyal to the PDP and would want me to remain in the party as their representative.
“Of course, democratic representation is all about the wishes of the people. After all, if I go against the wishes of my constituents, I may have failed the wishes of the primary duty of a lawmaker and that would be a political hara-kiri.
Odefa also alleged that there were attempts to illegally remove him as the Deputy Speaker, as well as clandestine moves to incarcerate, intimidate, and harass him, members of his family band his political associates.
“Consequent upon the forgoing, I am aware that there are already some clandestine moves to possibly incarcerate, intimidate, and harass me; members of my family band my political associates.
“I am also aware that there is a move to make illegal attempt to remove me as the Deputy Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, a position that my colleagues have found me worthy and capable of manning for some years now.
“I am assuring our party members, my supporters and constituents that I remain firm on the side of the law and shall deploy all legal means to protect my fundamental human rights,” he said.
