Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, has formally notified the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on the vacancies that exist in the Assembly.

This is following the declaration as vacant, the seats of Rt Hon Martin Amaewhule and 24 others as a result of their defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

DAILY POST reported that the State Assembly declared vacant the seats of the 27 lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the APC.

The Speaker made the announcement last week Wednesday during a sitting at the temporary hall provided by the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

Ehie emphasized that there is no conflict within the PDP that warrants defection of any lawmaker in the House.

He said the decision to declare the seats vacant was in line with section 109 (1) (g) and 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

He called on the INEC to conduct fresh elections to fill the vacant seats, asserting the need for the rightful representation of the people.