Nigeria Democratic Congress Criticizes Delta Assembly’s Decision on Egbetama Seat
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has denounced the Delta State House of Assembly’s recent action to declare the Udu constituency seat held by Collins Egbetama vacant. This move followed Egbetama’s defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the NDC, and the party argues that it is both unconstitutional and driven by political motives.
In a statement released by Barrister Osa, the NDC’s National Public Relations Secretary, the party accused the Delta Assembly of engaging in “vengeance and selective justice” against the lawmaker. The NDC contends that the decision undermines Egbetama’s constitutional rights regarding freedom of association and political participation.
The NDC maintains that Egbetama, originally elected on the APC platform, has been unfairly targeted following the recent defection of Delta State Governor and several members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC. The party argues that supporters of the governor view Egbetama as a political rival due to his past affiliation with the APC and his loyalty to former Senate Vice President Ovie Omo-Agege, despite their shared party membership.
Additionally, the statement alleges that Egbetama faced a denial of salary and other legislative rights from the assembly for several months prior to officially resigning from the APC on April 30, 2026. Following his departure from the APC, the NDC claims that Egbetama was met with “political callousness and humiliation.”
The NDC protested that the Delta State House of Assembly’s declaration of a vacancy for Egbetama’s seat has no constitutional basis and is illegal under current regulations. The party urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disregard what it characterized as “illegal activities and political gangsterism” perpetrated by the assembly.
In its statement, the NDC called on Parliament to reinstate Egbetama, emphasizing that he should be allowed to continue representing his constituents until the matter is resolved legally. “We call on the Delta State House of Assembly to enable Rep. Egbetama to fulfill his constitutional duties, as we pursue all necessary legal channels to address this situation,” the NDC declared.
The party reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Udu constituency, advocating that no individual should be deprived of effective representation due to political affiliations. “Our dedication to serving the people of Udu cannot be compromised by any form of legislative misconduct,” the statement concluded.
As of this report, neither the Delta State House of Assembly nor the state government had responded to the allegations. The INEC had not issued an immediate response either.
