Hours after Hon Emmanuel Orie, member representing Ohaji/Egbema in the Imo House of Assembly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, to All Progressives Congress, APC, his former party has declared his Seat vacant.
Hon Emma Orie on Tuesday at the plenary declared his movement from PDP to APC.
However, immediately the news filtered into Imo PDP State Office Owerri, the party directed its legal department to file a suit declaring Emma Orie’s Seat Vacant.
Speaking to Imo PDP PRO in his office, Hon Chief Damian Opara said that the party had no alternative than to declare the seat vacant immediately, which would be pursued through legal and constitutional means.
He said that although the party will not miss Orie, since he was just a bench warmer in the chamber, but PDP must do the needful.
The PDP Spokesman stated that it is only when a Party is in crisis that any of its members in the parliament can cross-carpet, pointing out that Imo PDP is neither in crisis, nor has factions.
“Imo PDP is intact and has no problem. Therefore any Lawmaker deserting the party must give a reason he/she is defecting after using the party’s platform to win election. The party must declare Orie’s Seat Vacant.
You can’t eat your cake and have it back” he said.
He described Orie as short-one in the House, as he has never moved nor supported any motion since he was elected as Lawmaker, adding that Orie only won his election in 2015 because of the popularity of PDP in Ohaji/Egbema, not because of his acceptance, adding that Orie does not even know his Ward Chairman, but was imposed on the party.
He therefore stated that the Emma Orie’s issue is now a case-study for PDP in choosing its candidates for 2019 elections, adding that only Committed and Trusted members of the party would be elected to represent the party at all levels in 2019.
