Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has asked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to drag Ebonyi and Cross Rivers Governors David Umahi and Ben Ayade to court over their defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Governor also called on the PDP to challenge the defections of former PDP federal and state lawmakers from the two States to the APC.

Wike, who spoke in Port Harcourt on Saturday, stressed the time had come for the judiciary to make a final pronouncement on the incessant defections of Governors and lawmakers to save the country from becoming a one-party state.
He said: “The time has come that the judiciary must have to rise to the occasion to make a final pronouncement of this issue of defection and that will go a long way to strengthen our democracy.

“Because if we do not take action, you will find a the situation where you will have a one-party State and that will not be good for our democracy.

“And so, I have encouraged the PDP, they must file a suit against the Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi and the Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade for defecting to the All Progressives Congress without any reason provided in the constitution or any other enabling law.

“What PDP is looking for is not just that they want to reclaim the seats but that a pronouncement must be made by the judiciary on this incessant defection without no reasons at all, in order to enhance and strengthen our democracy.”

Wike said it was unacceptable for Governors and federal as well as state lawmakers, who had been elected on the platform of a particular party without any proof of division in the party that brought them to power to defect.

He said: “Let it be on record that the party (PDP) has been able to challenge it and let us await the outcome of the decision of the court because the court has a role to strengthen our democracy. And part of the role the court must play is to make a final pronouncement on this issue of defection from one party to the other.”