The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, on Tuesday, declared the seats of Edison Ehie, Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and three other pro-Fubara lawmakers vacant.
The decision was made during Tuesday’s plenary session, citing their absence from sittings for 152 consecutive days.
Speaker Amaewhule emphasized that Ehie’s failure to formally notify the House of his new office led to the declaration of his seat as vacant. “He did not properly write to inform the House of his new office,” Amaewhule stated.
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Regarding Victor Oko-Jumbo and the two other lawmakers, the House held separate votes to declare their seats vacant due to their prolonged absence without notification or permission, violating the 1999 Constitution.
Consequences and Next Steps
The Assembly has agreed to write to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct elections to replace the vacant seats within 90 days. This move aims to ensure representation for the affected constituencies.
Additionally, the House has given Governor Fubara another opportunity to present the 2024 Appropriations Bill. This comes after the Appeal Court nullified the N800 billion bill he had presented to a parallel House led by Edison Ehie.
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