Speaker of the Rivers Assembly, Edison Ehie, has formally notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the existence of 25 vacant seats in the state legislative chamber.
Ehie, who is leading a four-member faction of the Assembly loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara asked the electoral body to commence the process of conducting election into the state constituencies in the letter.
The letter, signed by Ehie was sighted by our correspondent on the same day the other faction of Rivers Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule was officially welcomed into the All Progressives Congress, APC in Port Harcourt.
The lawmakers who were loyal to Nyesom Wike, former governor of Rivers State and incumbent minister of Federal Capital Territory were received on Sunday by the State’s All Progressives Congress APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Tony Okocha and representatives of the National Executive Council of the party in attendance.
Ehie had declared the seats of the 27 lawmakers vacant after they defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
However, the Amawhule faction has also obtained a court order stopping INEC from conducting fresh elections to fill their seats.
On Wednesday 13th, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday said it has “formally” informed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the 25 vacant seats in the Rivers House of Assembly.
The party National Working Committee (NWC) in a statement asked the electoral body to conduct elections in the affected constituencies.
The party premised its demand on section 109 (1) of the constitution which provides grounds upon which a lawmaker can lose his seat in the parliament.
It said after its meeting on Wednesday, the affairs in Rivers were “thoroughly reviewed” and some resolutions were reached.
“That the Party communicates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by formally informing the Commission of the vacancies in the Rivers State House of Assembly as a result of the defection of the 25 now former members, who by virtue of Section 109 (1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) vacated their seats by their action,” the statement reads.
“That the Party officially demand that INEC should within the Constitutionally stipulated time, conduct fresh election in the 25 State Constituencies in Rivers State where vacancies now exist in the Rivers State House of Assembly as a result of the defection of the 25 now former members.
“Direct the National Legal Adviser to commence appropriate legal action with respect to the declaration of the seats of the 25 defected former members vacant and the conduct of fresh election into the 25 State Constituencies in Rivers State in accordance with the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).”
According to the PDP, “every step necessary available in a democracy to ensure that the votes and mandate of the people of the 25 State Constituencies in Rivers State are protected and not appropriated under any circumstance whatsoever”.
Court Bars INEC From Conducting By-Elections To Replace 27 Lawmakers
On Monday 18th, Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from organising by-elections to replace 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly whose seats were declared vacant.
Justice Okorowo also barred the defendants in the case from interfering with the 27-member camp of the Rivers State House of Assembly from conducting their legislative duties as speaker, deputy speaker, and members of the parliament.
The Judge restrained the Inspector-General of Police and the State Security Service (SSS) “from denying or refusing to provide security to the 27 Lawmakers or withdrawing their security details”.
He subsequently adjourned the suit to December 28 for hearing.
Speaker Ehie had secured an interim order through an ex-parte application from the Rivers State High Court in Port-Harcourt, enabling him and three of his colleagues who are loyal to Governor Fubara to do legislative businesses without interference from the Amaewhule-led faction.
However, in a bid to forestall any by-elections from being held to fill their seats, the group of 27 lawmakers through their lawyer, Peter Onuh, in an ex-parte request filed on 13 December, urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain, the Rivers State House of Assembly, INEC, and the PDP from taking actions that could undermine their rights.
Also, Mr Amaewhule and his group who are the applicants in the suit, prayed the court to restrain the SSS, the Inspector General of Police, and the Clerk of the Rivers State House of Assembly from depriving them of their rights as lawmakers, including withdrawal of police security.
Why We Defected
The 27 Rivers State House of Assembly lawmakers have said they joined All Progressives Congress because of President Bola Tinubu’s”Renewed Hope Agenda”.
Former Speaker of the Assembly Martins Amaewhule said this at a “Thanksgiving and stakeholders’ meeting” of APC on Sunday in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State.
He said that their defection was in line with section 109 of the 1999 Constitution “to make sure that we followed due process”.
“We made sure we did not do anything outside the 1999 Constitution.
“The Constitution has given room for people to defect, that’s why section 109 (1g) allows serving legislators, who want to defect to do so with a proviso that there is a division in the party.
“There is clearly a division in the PDP, so in line with this section we defected to APC,” Amaewhule said.
He also said that the position of the Constitution gave the speaker of the house right to give effect to Section 109 (1) and by virtue of the provision of the constitution, members have the right and must exercise it because of the division in the party.
According to him, the 27 members have all the particulars and evidence as referred to in the Constitution, concerning a division in PDP.
He said that all the particulars and evidence that necessitated their defection to APC had been recorded in their files and sent to the house.
Mr Amaewhule said that they took the decision after Tinubu assured the leadership of Rivers APC that attention would be given to federal infrastructure in the state.
“We analysed the president’s quick start of his assurance when he started with the reconstruction of the Port Harcourt-Onne East West Road.
“In no time, the road will become accessible to Port Harcourt Refinery, Onne Seaport, Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemist Limited and a smooth ride to all the local governments coonnected to these areas,” he said.
Mr Amaewhule also cited the consistent federal appointments to Rivers people by Tinubu, irrespective of their parties, as their other reason for defecting to APC.
He said that Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda would expand the country’s economy, hence they decided to dump PDP and support the president to achieve the agenda.
Ganduje receives defected Rivers Lawmakers into APC
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, on Sunday officially received members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who recently defected to the party from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
The 26 lawmakers loyal to the FCT Minister who were physically present at the event were received during the Rivers State Chapter of the APC’s dedication service and stakeholders meeting in Port Harcourt.
Ganduje who was represented at the event by the National Legal Adviser of the Party, Professor Abdulkarim Kana
lauded the defectors for joining the APC, and deciding to work with party party.
Speaking earlier, Chairman, Caretaker committee of APC in Rivers State and the State Representative at the NDDC Board, Chief Tony Okocha, said the defection of the lawmakers and the stakeholders meeting signals the death of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Okocha said the APC will henceforth be built on a solid foundation to takeover the state from the PDP.
He accused the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and the PDP of knowing those responsible for the burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and challenged them to come out openly to deny that they know nothing about the burning of the House of Assembly complex.
He said: “We have lost our chances over time. Going forward, APC will no longer be a social club in Rivers State. APC under your watch and our followership will be built on a strong and solid foundation. APC will be strong in your respective wards; we are not going to build an APC that is state-based.
“This APC we are building will be strong in your various units; you will contest election in your units. This APC will be an APC that will conduct elections. This APC will chase the rubbish PDP government out of Rivers State.
“This event signals the death of moribund PDP in Rivers State. Are you not seeing the signs of the failure of the PDP in Rivers State? Is there any governance in Rivers State?
“A man was enthroned into office and his promised consolidation and continuity. But, is he consolidating anything? He’s only consolidation is to demolish the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“I speak as the leader of opposition in Rivers State, I challenge the governor and the PDP to come out and tell Rivers people that they are not behind the burning of the House of Assembly.”
The CTC Chairman of the APC in the state vowed to resist intimidation of the now APC lawmakers adding that not even the demolition of the assembly complex can stop them.
Speaking on behalf of the defected lawmakers, the former speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, said their defection into the APC was in line with the provisions of the Constitution.
He stated that no form of intimidation and attack from anybody or group will deter them, and that they will remain resolute.
