Political Earthquake: Delta Assembly Ousts Lawmaker Over Shock Defection

The seat of the member representing Udu State Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Collins Egbetamah, has officially been declared vacant. This significant declaration was made by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Dennis Guwor, during a plenary session held on Tuesday.

The declaration followed Hon. Egbetamah’s resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his subsequent defection to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). The motion for declaring the seat vacant was meticulously moved by the Leader of the House, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi, and was seconded by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Arthur Akpowowo, receiving unanimous approval from the members present.

In presenting the motion, titled “Consideration of the Letter from Honourable Member Representing Udu State Constituency Pursuant to Section 109 of the Constitution,” Hon. Nwaobi highlighted that comprehensive documentary evidence before the House unequivocally confirmed Egbetamah’s defection from the APC to the NDC while he was still serving as an elected member. He precisely cited Section 109(1)(g) of the Constitution, which explicitly stipulates that a member shall vacate their seat if, having been elected on the platform of one political party, they subsequently become a member of another political party before the expiration of their tenure, except where expressly provided by the Constitution.

Following the presentation and after carefully citing the constitutional provisions, Speaker Guwor made the definitive declaration. He stated, “Accordingly, this Honourable House is satisfied that the constitutional requirements under Section 109 of the Constitution have been fulfilled. Therefore, pursuant to Section 109(1) and (2), I hereby declare the seat of the Honourable Member representing Udu State Constituency vacant with immediate effect.”

To ensure the constitutional process moves forward, Speaker Guwor directed the Clerk of the House to transmit the resolution to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other pertinent authorities. He also specifically requested INEC to undertake the necessary constitutional steps to conduct a by-election, in strict accordance with Section 116(2) of the Constitution, to fill the now-vacant position in the Udu State Constituency.

Earlier in the session, the Speaker had read Hon. Egbetamah’s resignation letter, which was dated June 19, 2026. In the letter, Egbetamah informed the House of his resignation from the APC on April 30, 2026, stating his intention to further his political aspirations. He also took the opportunity to commend the APC and various stakeholders for their support during his tenure.