The Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly has declared the seats of Victor Oko-Jumbo and three others loyal to the governor vacant, citing their prolonged absence from legislative meetings without just cause. 
 
But a few hours after the declaration, the pro-Fubara Assembly urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct bye-elections to fill the seats of the 25 lawmakers loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
   
During plenary yesterday, the pro-Wike Assembly said the decision was made in compliance with Sections 109 (1)(e), (f) and 109 (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The motion to declare the seats vacant was moved by House Leader, Major Jack, and co-sponsored by 25 other members.
 
The action came on the heels of the controversy surrounding Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s 2024 Appropriation Bill. The governor had presented the N800 billion budget to only four out of 31 members of the Assembly, sparking legal challenges.
 
Jack moved that the seats of the four members be declared vacant for their continued refusal or failure to attend and participate in legislative meetings of the House, without a just cause for a period amounting, in aggregate, to more than one-third of the days the House met in the First Session of the 10th Assembly and for also being absent in the past 56 legislative sittings of the Second Session.
   
The House voted for the seats of the four members to be declared vacant, and that INEC be notified to conduct elections to fill the seats. Given that the Court of Appeal upheld all the injunctive orders by the Federal High Court, Amaewhule enjoined Fubara to present the 2024 Appropriate Bill to the House again.
   
But reacting, Oko-Jumbo maintained that the 25 legislative seats were declared vacant on December 13, 2023, and regretted that INEC has been foot-dragging on the conduct of bye-election to fill the vacant seats owing to their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). 
   
He said the inability of INEC to do the needful since December 13 has created room for unnecessary distractions from Amaewhule and his committee of friends and called on the commission to discharge its constitutional responsibilities to the people of the state.
   
However, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) worldwide has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to call the FCT Minister to order over the lingering crises in the state. President of INC, Prof Benjamin Okaba, at a news conference, yesterday, in Abuja, said INC was concerned that if left unchecked, the political crisis could affect other parts of the country.
 
“Mr President, sir, as the father of the nation, we fervently appeal to you to call the FCT Minister to order peace and security in Nigeria. Stop this drift towards national disintegration and anarchy now”, he said.
 
Okaba alleged that Wike’s power tussle with Fubara might not be unconnected with the minister’s desire to enhance Tinubu’s electoral fortunes in the next general polls.
 
“We understand the dictates of politics and the need to harvest Rivers votes for the President’s second tenure elections. What we misunderstand is the thought that only the FCT minister can assist the President to win Rivers,” Okoba said.
 
Okaba said Fubara had been faithful to Tinubu’s 8-point directive to both parties during the conflict resolution meeting in Abuja. He added that while the governor acted in good faith concerning the directive, the minister acted otherwise by refusing to withdraw the court cases he instituted.