Saraki, Kwankwaso, others should lose their seats – Arise
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A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Senator Ayo Arise has urged the leadership of the ruling APC to begin moves that would ensure members of the National Assembly who defected from the party lose their seats.
Recall that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso and other high profile members of the party from the National Assembly had defected from ruling APC to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Arise, in an interview with our correspondent, noted that there was no division or factions in the party that could warrant them, advising the party to move against all the defectors.
Arise, who represented Ekiti North Senatorial District in the 6th Assembly, disclosed that the latest trend of defections in the legislature which he described as immoral where people took mandate of voters to another party, must be put to an end.
He advised the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the APC to approach the Supreme Court and remove all the senators and House of Representatives members that have defected, saying the nation cannot survive with the current trend.
His words, “My position on this is that we can’t continue in this manner as a nation because what is wrong is wrong.
“I am of the opinion that when you are voted in on a particular platform and you move away from that platform, the individual should lose the privileges because the party is supreme to individuals. These People that have moved should be ready to drop their seats and go for a new election.
“As for me, there is no excuse, drama or smart moves that will justify anyone who was voted in from a particular party to move and still enjoys all the privileges of that party without the consent of people that voted for you. In any way, you look at it, it can never be right.
“When I was in the Senate, my position was that anyone that moves, you forfeit the privileges. We must put an end to this immoral movements and unjustifiable one.
“At a point, the National Assembly said you can move when there is a division, but now where is the division? Those people making noise (rAPC) have no convention or party executives or so ever. There is no division or factions in the APC.
“I want to say the party should move against them and go to the Supreme Court to remove these people.”
Arise urged the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to get set in conducting elections to replace those that have left the party, noting that none of them including the Senate President have the right to continue with the seat.
“Saraki should not only drop the Senate Presidency but he should lose its seat. He has no right to continue with that seat and I want to urge INEC to conduct new election for those that have left,’ he said.
YOMI AYELESO, Akure