Rivers: Amaewhule declaring Assembly seats vacant a ‘joke’, says Oko-Jumbo

The factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Victor Oko-Jumbo, has dismissed the recent attempt by Martin Amaewhule and 24 others to declare vacant the legislative seats of some Assembly members, including his own, as an “exercise in futility” and a “joke taken too far.”

The Assembly, led by Amaewhule, earlier in their sitting passed a resolution to declare the seats of Oko-Jumbo and three others vacant due to their refusal to attend legislative sittings, citing some sections of the law to back their position.

However, Oko-Jumbo, in a personally signed statement, reiterated that Amaewhule and his colleagues had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December 2023.

He argued that Amaewhule’s defection was widely reported, and he even deposed to an affidavit in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1681/2023, stating that the division within the PDP forced him and others to join the APC.

He added that, consequently, the then-Speaker, Rt. Honourable Ehie Ogerente Edison, declared their seats vacant and called for by-elections to fill the vacant legislative seats.

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He asserted that, as the current Speaker, Amaewhule and his colleagues have no power to declare seats vacant, having ceased to be members of the Assembly since December 11, 2023.

Oko-Jumbo, however, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct by-elections to fill the vacant seats declared on December 13, 2023.

He also called on Nigerians and the people of Rivers State to disregard Amaewhule’s actions, stating that they are no longer members of the Assembly and lack the authority to declare seats vacant.

He assured that the Assembly will continue to function normally, passing resolutions and screening commissioner-nominees.