The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, has made a significant announcement regarding the status of four lawmakers, including Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Their seats have been declared vacant due to their prolonged absence from Assembly sessions, totaling 152 days without any notification or justification.
During a plenary session held today, Speaker Martin Amaewhule explained that Edison Ehie’s seat was declared vacant specifically because he did not properly inform the House about his new role as Chief of Staff, which is a requirement under the Assembly's regulations.
In addition to Ehie, the Assembly also held three separate votes regarding the status of Victor Oko-Jumbo and two other lawmakers, resulting in the declaration of their seats as vacant due to their continuous absenteeism from sessions. This action was taken in accordance with the stipulations outlined in the 1999 constitution, which mandates attendance and participation in legislative duties.
The Assembly has further resolved to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct elections to fill the now vacant seats. This election is to take place within 90 days to ensure that the constituents are adequately represented in the Assembly.
Moreover, during the session, the House also reached an agreement to grant Governor Fubara another opportunity to present the 2024 Appropriations Bill. This decision follows the recent nullification by the Appeal Court of a previous N800 billion bill that was initially presented to a parallel House led by Edison Ehie.