Veteran Nollywood actor and politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the Bayelsa State governorship seat vacant following the resignation of Governor Douye Diri from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Okonkwo, in a statement released on Thursday, argued that by quitting the PDP and temporarily not belonging to any political party, Diri has automatically forfeited his position as governor under the provisions of Section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
He emphasized that the law clearly states that “every elected member of the government must be a member of a political party,” noting that no elected official can be partyless at any point in time.
Gov Douye Diri, being not a member of any political party, has lost his seat as Governor. An elected member of government can only defect from one party to another but cannot be partyless. I, therefore, call on INEC to declare his seat vacant immediately and conduct a gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State within the next 90 days,” Okonkwo said.
