A Socio-Political group, Conscience of Ogoni People, COOP, have petitioned the Senate President, Senator Goodwill Akpabio to declare the seat of Senator Barry Mpigi vacant following his extended absence from the Senate and his constituency.
COOP, said Senator Mpigi who is representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District has been absent for over five months, neglecting his legislative duties and representation of his constituents.
This absence, according to the group has negatively impacted the people of Rivers South-East Senatorial District, as they have been left without a representative to address their concerns.
Leader of COOP, Chief Gani Topba, cited the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended), which requires a Senator to sit for at least 180 days in a calendar year, noting that Senator Mpigi’s absence exceeds one-third of this period, making him ineligible to continue holding his seat.
Topba, urged the Senate President to declare his seat vacant, enabling the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a by-election that would provide the people of Rivers South-East Senatorial District an opportunity to have the representation they deserve.
The petition reads in part, “The COOP hereby requests that you invoke your powers under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended) and declare vacant the seat of Senator Barry Mpigi, who represents the good people of Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Rivers State, in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“This request is borne out of the fact that Senator Barry Mpigi has not been found or seen on the floor of the Senate or anywhere within the legislative Chambers for several months. As members of his Senatorial District, Ogoni people have not seen or heard from him for upwards of five months today.
“We do not know where he has gone to or what has become of him. He has not been carrying out his legislative duties and representation of the members of his Senatorial District.
“You will recall, Senate President, that Rivers South-East Senatorial District is very critical to the economic development of Nigeria. Apart from the East-West Road which serves as a major artery into the economic hub of the Niger Delta Region, the Senatorial District is home to key Federal Government owned/controlled companies and establishments, including the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority, the Federal Lighter Terminal, the Federal Ocean Terminal, the Onne Port, the Indorama Fertilizer/Petrochemicals, the Port Harcourt Petroleum Refining Company of Nigeria Limited, Alesa, and a host of other private industries.
“The presence of these establishments as well as the security needs of the people of the Senatorial District requires that our Senator is able to address the issues and challenges confronting his people. Regrettably, Senator Barry has gone away without leave and the people of the Senatorial District are the worse for it as they have no one to lay their complaints to.
It further stated, “Recall, Distinguished Senate President, that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) requires that a member of the Senate must sit for a period of not less that 180 days in any one calendar year. The same Constitution mandates you as President of the Senate to declare vacant the seat of any member of the Senate who is unable to sit for a period amounting in the aggregate to more than one-third of 180 days in any one calendar year.
“We, as members of Senator Barry’s Senatorial District, have not seen him during the sittings of the Senate nor seen him embarking on any Senate Committee assignment or even seen him within the Senatorial District for the past five months and above, which is more than one-third of the cumulative 180 days he is constitutionally mandated to sit as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We, therefore, implore you, Distinguished Senate President, to save the people of Rivers South-East Senatorial District of this mal-representation by declaring the seat of Senator Barry Mpigi vacant, to pave way for the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a by-election for the purpose of filling the vacancy created by his exit from the Senate, in order to give our people the much-needed representation that has so far eluded them.”
Credit: Daily Independent
