Rivers lawmakers’ factions insist INEC must conduct by-election

Composite image of Nyesom Wike (left) and Siminalayi Fubara.

Govt: We’re set for 2025 budget presentation, Wike’s men are dreamers
The battle of wits in the legislative arm of Rivers State government continued yesterday as the pro-Fubara lawmakers and their pro-Wike counterparts separately called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct by-elections to fill ‘vacant seats’ in the Assembly.

The Victor Oko-Jumbo group, loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara reiterated its stance that the seats of Martin Amaewhule and 24 others remained vacant following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). It maintained that the vacant seats must be filled through a by-election conducted by INEC.

Additionally, the Assembly initiated moves to invoke constitutional provisions against the Amaewhule side for impersonation.

On the other hand, Amaewhule’s side notified INEC of vacancies in four legislative seats, and called for elections to fill them.

Amaewhule, in a letter dated October 15, informed the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, that the vacancies arose due to the lawmakers’ prolonged absence from legislative sittings.

Specifically, Ehie’s seat was declared vacant after he abandoned his legislative duties for about a year and was subsequently sworn in as Chief of Staff to the Governor on January 29, 2024.

The other three reportedly remained absent from legislative business for 152 consecutive days, exceeding the stipulated period of one-third of the total number of days the House met in one year, as outlined in Section 109(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

Relying on Section 109(2) of the Constitution, Amaewhule declared the seats vacant, citing satisfactory evidence of the lawmakers’ wilful absence.

HOWEVER, the Rivers State Government has said the state is now preparing for its 2025 budget presentation, saying those seeking for the representation of the 2024 Appropriation Bill are wasting both time and money.

The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Prof Peter Medee, who was responding to calls by Amaewhule-led Assembly to Governor Fubara to represent the budget, said anyone contesting the 2024 budget already passed into law is dreaming. Medee argued that the 2024 budget has already been enacted into law and cannot be reversed.