Rivers: Pro-Fubara lawmakers call for bye election

Factional Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Victor Oko-Jumbo, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to conduct bye-election to fill the vacant seats in the RSHA.

Fielding questions from reporters on Friday, the pro-Fubara Speaker posited that a bye-election would not only help calm the frayed nerves of the people but go a long to douse political tension in the state

He then urged the people of Rivers State to ignore Martin Amaewhule and 24 others, who are parading themselves as members of the RSHA, adding that judgement by the Court of Appeal on the political crisis in Rivers State has not changed situation in the state.

“Once again, we, the legitimate Members of the RSHA hereby call on the Independent National Electoral Commission to promptly conduct a Bye Election to fill the vacant seats in the RSHA.”

“We strongly urge the general public to ignore Martin Amaewhule & 24 others in their pretence that they are members of the RSHA”Victor Oko-Jumbo

Already, lawmakers who are allies of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State
are heading to Supreme Court to challenge Thursday’s ruling by the Appeal court to nullify the expulsion of a former speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 24 other lawmakers from the assembly.

Victor Oko-Jumbo confirmed that the State Assembly is appealing the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal on the jurisdiction of Rivers State High Court to hear the matter on suit number PHC/1512/CS/2024, describing it as a miscarriage of justice.

Speaking during plenary at Government House on Friday, Oko-Jumbo said that the House has directed its legal team to urgently proceed to the Supreme Court to challenge the ruling by the Appeal Court.

It would be recalled that Abuja Division, Appeal Court, had on Thursday, nullified the ex parte order issued in May by the Rivers State High Court, Port Harcourt, which stopped Amaewhule from taking over his role as the Speaker of the River State House of Assembly.

A pro-Fubara lawmakers, led by Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo), insisted that the 25 members of the Assembly, loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike, remained sacked because the Court of Appeal only ruled on the jurisdiction of the Rivers State High Court to hear the case and not the main substance of the matter.

Two bills; the Rivers State Transport Company Reform Bill 2024 and Rivers State Emergency Management Bill 2024 passed the first reading of the State House of Assembly.