…Gives governor another chance to represent 2024 Appropriation Bill
By: Felix Ikpotor
Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike on Tuesday declared the seats of four lawmakers loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara vacant.
The lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule said they took the decision in compliance with the combined provisions of Section 109 (1)(e),(f) and Section 109 (2) of the 1999 Constitution as altered.
the Rivers State House of Assembly, during their 56th sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.
This was contained in a statement by Martins Wachukwu, Special Assistant on Media to Martin Amaewhule.
The Amaewhule-led assembly during the sitting also gave Governor Siminalayi Fubara , another opportunity to re-present the 2024 Appropriate Budget before them.
Recall that Governor Fubara had in December 2023, presented an N800 billion budget before the state assembly, led by Edison Ehie as speaker, following the crisis that rocked the Rivers State House of Assembly in November.
Ehie, who represented Ahoada East constituency II, later resigned as speaker member of the assembly and was subsequently appointed as the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt by Governor Fubara.
The statement reads in parts: “In compliance with the combined provisions Section of 109 (1)(e),(f) and Section 109 (2) of the 1999 Constitution as altered, the Rivers State House of Assembly on Tuesday, at its 56th Legislative Sitting of the Second Session, has declared the seats of Hon. Edison Ogerenye Ehie, Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo, Hon. Adolphus Timothy Oruibienimigha and Hon. Sokari Goodboy Sokari, representing Ahoada East II, Bonny, Opobo/Nkoro and Ahoada West Constituency respectively vacant.
“Riding on the back of a Motion moved by the House Leader, Hon. Major Jack and co-sponsored by 25 other members, that the seats of these 4 Members be declared vacant for their continued refusal or failure to attend and participate in legislative meetings of the House, without just cause for a period amounting in aggregate, to more than one-third of the total number of days the House met in the First Session of the Tenth Assembly and for also being absent in the past fifty -six legislative sittings of the Second Session.
“Debating the Motion, Members spoke in unison in support of the Motion, and sympathized with the constituents of those constituencies whose voices have been drowned in the House for about one year because of the abdication of legislative duties by their representatives.
“Commenting on the Motion, the Speaker, Martin Chike Amaewhule, recalled that after the peace parley that was held at the instance of the President, the House withdrew its impeachment notice on the Governor and also recalled the four suspended members, yet they have obstinately refused to attend sittings of the House”.
“When the Speaker put the question, the House voted in the affirmative that the seats of the 4 Members be declared vacant, and the Independent National Electoral Commission be notified to conduct elections to fill the vacancies”.
Amaewhule reiterated that given the fact the Court of Appeal upheld all the injunctive orders given by the Federal High Court, Governor Siminialayi Fubara is again enjoined to present the 2024 Appropriate Bill to the House.
Earlier, the Leader of the House, Major Jack had informed the House that he was in receipt of the Judgement of the Court of Appeal which upheld the judgment of Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court which recognised the authenticity of the Rivers State House of Assembly under the Speakership of Martin Amaewhule, which was appealed against by Governor Fubara.
