The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) on Thursday issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, over the defection of its only elected member of the House, Kolawole Mobolorunduro (KLM), representing Egbado South/Ipokia Federal Constituency of Ogun state.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the National Chairman of the party, Yusuf Dantalle, joined by Ayodele Adebayo (National Secretary), Adeniyi Odunlami (National Vice Chairman) and Patrick Oyetayo (Ogun state Chairman), scolded the Speaker for announcing the lawmaker’s defection on the floor of the house.
While declaring the defection illegal, the party boss asked for a retraction of the “purported announcement” from the Speaker or, in the alternative, to declare the seat vacant.
APM insisted that an apology should be tendered to the party and “it must be visible in at least, 10 national dailies in addition to another letter of apology from Gbajabiamila addressed to the party.
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According to the party boss, “these actions must be taken within a maximum of seven days from the date of the announcement of defection. Any failure on the part of the Speaker of the House of Representative Hon.
Femi Gbajabiamila and Hon. Kolawole Lawal Mobolorunduro to meet any of these conditions, the APM shall be left with no choice but to approach the Court of Law to seek redress on the obnoxious illegality.”
Dantalle said the news of the lawmaker’s defection from the APM, in which he won his seat in the 2019 election, came to the party as a shock
He said: “Assumption and withdrawal of membership of any association are procedural and political party is no exception. As an Honorable Member of the law-making organ of this great country Nigeria, it is expected that you uphold in its highest form the sanctity of the constitution of the vehicle (Political Party) that provide you with the platform to emerge a member of the House of Representatives and the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which legally, you are the custodian.
“Recklessly and an aberration of the constitution of the APM, you tendered a letter of your defection to the leadership of the House of Representatives without any
communication with your Party (APM), and the Speaker of the House of Representative, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila without recourse to due process, and in flagrant disregards for the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, went ahead to announce on the floor of the House and to the world, the illegality called defection.
“This is an affront on Constitutionality and Democracy!”
The party chairman pointed out that the defection of the lawmaker violates Article 6, Section A-K of the Constitution of the APM and the Constitution of the country.
He added: “In view of the obvious status of both the Constitution of the APM on whose platform KLM emerged a member of the House of Representatives and the provision of SECTION 68 subsection (1)G & 2 of the Constitution of the Federal
The Republic of Nigeria, the Allied Peoples’ Movement reject in totality, the illegality perpetrated by Hon. Kolawole Mobolorunduro and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.”
The party chairman affirmed: “For the records, the Allied Peoples’ Movement is one of the youngest Political Parties registered few months before the 2019 general elections. The party is united, stable and healthy at the national, states, local governments and ward Levels across Nigeria.”
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