Fresh Crisis in Rivers State as Factions of Wike and Fubara Lawmakers Clash
Rivers State is facing renewed political strife as a clash emerges between the Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the House of Assembly and a group aligned with Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
On Tuesday, the Amaewhule faction declared the seats of four lawmakers loyal to Fubara vacant. This decision follows a recent ruling by the Appeal Court in Abuja that recognized the Amaewhule leadership.
In response, the faction led by Victor Oko-Jumbo rejected the Amaewhule declaration, asserting that he and his colleagues are no longer lawmakers. They have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organize by-elections to fill the vacancies.
This conflict is part of the broader power struggle for political dominance in Rivers State, particularly between Fubara and former governor Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The lawmakers whose seats were declared vacant include Edison Ehie, who currently serves as Chief of Staff to the Governor, among others. The Amaewhule faction cited these members’ failure to attend legislative sessions for 56 consecutive days as grounds for the declaration.
During the plenary session in Port Harcourt, Amaewhule stated that Ehie did not formally inform the House of his new position, thus justifying the vacancy announcement.
The decision was reached following a motion led by House Leader Major Jack, supported by 25 other members. A statement from the Assembly noted that the seats were declared vacant under sections of the 1999 Constitution due to prolonged absenteeism.
Amaewhule recalled that after a peace meeting initiated by President Bola Tinubu, the Assembly had previously withdrawn an impeachment notice against Fubara and reinstated four suspended members, yet they continued to boycott sessions.
When the vote was called, the House confirmed the vacancy of the four seats and called on INEC to conduct elections.
In light of the Appeal Court’s support for their position, Amaewhule also urged the governor to present the 2024 Appropriation Bill again.
Meanwhile, the Oko-Jumbo faction contended that the legislative seats of Amaewhule and 24 others had already been vacated following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) last December. They insist that these seats must also be filled through by-elections.
Oko-Jumbo’s faction emphasized that the previous declarations of vacancy on December 13, 2023, have not been legally contested. He criticized INEC for delaying necessary elections and urged the commission to fulfill its constitutional duty.
In his remarks, Oko-Jumbo asserted that Amaewhule and his supporters, who defected from the PDP, have lost their status as lawmakers. He called for INEC to swiftly conduct by-elections to fill the declared vacancies and urged the public to disre gard Amaewhule’s claims.
