The spokesperson of the group of 60 (G60) Federal Lawmakers, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, has criticized the actions of a non-existent 27-member Rivers State House of Assembly, stating that they cannot amend a procurement law to impede infrastructure development in the state. Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato North South Federal Constituency of Imo State in the House of Representatives, made this remark in response to the alleged overriding of Governor Siminialayi Fubara’s assent to enact the Rivers State Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill 2024 into law.
Ugochinyere emphasized that the 27 individuals under the leadership of Martins Amaewhule, who claim to be lawmakers, had their seats declared vacant since December when they defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), violating the nation’s constitution. He cited Section 109(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which states that a member of a House of Assembly shall vacate his seat if he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which the House was elected.
“Consequently, Amaewhule and his co-travellers are no longer Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, hence all their actions are but the highest level of illegality, null and void in a democratic entity governed by the Constitution which prohibits such abnormality,” Ugochinyere stated.
He further explained that these non-existent lawmakers are attempting to use the Rivers State Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill 2024 to halt the infrastructure development initiated by Governor Fubara. The amendment seeks to delete Section 3 of the 2021 amendment law, which allows a mobilization fee of not more than 20% of any contract sum to be paid to suppliers or contractors, supported by a contract performance bond.
Ugochinyere criticized the proposed amendment, suggesting that it is designed to undermine Governor Fubara’s efforts to deliver dividends of democracy and portray him as underperforming. He noted that no serious government contractor would accept a 20% mobilization fee, especially given the current economic conditions.
“It is laughable that in the current economic situation in the country where the cost of everything has escalated, some persons who though illegally called themselves lawmakers would say 20% was enough for any serious government contractor to mobilize to site and commence work,” he said. He added that this move could be a strategy to hinder Governor Fubara’s progress and boost the image of those who consider themselves rivals.
