Rivers State Faces New Turmoil Amidst Clash Between Pro-Fubara And Wike Legislators

Rivers State Faces New Turmoil Amidst Clash Between Pro-Fubara And Wike LegislatorsThe Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, has ignited a new crisis in the state by declaring the seats of four lawmakers loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara vacant. This action follows a recent Appeal Court ruling that affirmed the legality of the Amaewhule leadership.

In response, the faction led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, which supports Fubara, insisted that Amaewhule and his colleagues are no longer legitimate lawmakers. They have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct by-elections to fill the newly declared vacancies.

The political turmoil stems from ongoing power struggles between Fubara and former governor Nyesom Wike, who now serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. The lawmakers whose seats were declared vacant include Edison Ehie, currently the Chief of Staff to the Governor, along with three others, citing their absence from legislative sessions for over 56 days.

During a plenary session in Port Harcourt, Amaewhule stated that Ehie failed to formally notify the Assembly about his new position, prompting the vacancy declaration. This decision followed a motion put forth by House Leader Major Jack and supported by 25 other members.

According to a statement issued by the Speaker’s media assistant, the assembly’s action complies with constitutional provisions regarding absenteeism. The statement indicated that the four lawmakers were absent for more than one-third of the legislative meetings.

Amaewhule pointed out that despite previous attempts at reconciliation, including withdrawing impeachment notices against the governor, the affected lawmakers continued to avoid attending sessions. Following the vote, the House resolved to notify INEC to conduct elections for the vacant seats.

In contrast, the Oko-Jumbo faction argued that Amaewhule and his supporters remain ineligible as lawmakers due to their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December 2023. They maintain that this defection resulted in their seats being declared vacant and criticized INEC for delaying the by-elections.

Oko-Jumbo emphasized the importance of recognizing the legitimacy of the current Assembly and called on INEC to fulfill its constitutional duties to the people of Rivers State. He insisted that the actions of Amaewhule and his faction were illegitimate and should be disregarded.

This ongoing conflict reflects the deep political divisions in Rivers State as factions vie for control and legitimacy within the House of Assembly.

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