The Kogi State House of Assembly has declared vacant the seat of Linus Enench, the member representing Olamaboro Constituency of the North-Central state.
The decision taken on Tuesday on the floor of the House in Lokoja followed the recent defection of Enenche from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Enenche lost his seat following a motion moved to that effect by the House Majority Leader, Hon. Bello Hassan Abdullahi.
Abdullahi had hinged his motion on a letter transmitted to the House by the state Chairman of the APC , Mr Abdul Bello, informing the House of Enenche’s defection.
He said that the letter also stated that Enenche will be seeking a return to the House on the platform of his new party, the PDP during the 2019 elections.
By this action, Abdullahi explained that Enenche had contravened Section 109 -1 Sub Section G of the 1999 constitution as amended.
The motion was seconded by Hon Ahmed Mohammed but a member of the PDP in the house objected on grounds that there was no evidence to back the motion.
He also argued that Enenche had already dragged the APC to court over the matter.
The Speaker, Hon. Mathew Kolawole, however, overruled him and put the motion to vote.
Two of the three members present during the plenary voted yes while the only PDP member among them voted no.
Enenche, who later spoke with newsmen, described the action of his colleagues as reckless and unconstitutional.
The lawmaker who spoke on phone said that the matter was already in court, saying that declaring his seat vacant was null and void.
He alleged that the leadership of the House had refused to pay his salary and allowances for the past seven months.
Enenche said all efforts made by him to get his entitlements released proved abortive as the Speaker claimed that he had been directed not to pay him.
