Just In: Rivers State Assembly Declares Seats Of 4 Members Vacant

JUST IN: RIVERS STATE ASSEMBLY DECLARES SEATS OF 4 MEMBERS VACANT

By Benjamin Udom

… Gives Another Opportunity to Gov. Fubara to Present 2024 Appropriation Bill

In compliance with the combined provisions Section of 109 (1)(e),(f) and Section 109 (2) of the 1999 Constitution as altered, the Rivers State House of Assembly on Tuesday, at its 56th Legislative Sitting of the Second Session, has declared the seats of Hon. Edison Ogerenye Ehie, Hon. Victor Oko Jombo, Hon. Adolphus Timothy Oruibienimigha and Hon. Sokari Goodboy Sokari, representing Ahoada East II, Bonny, Opobo/Nkoro and Ahoada West Constituency respectively.

Riding on the back of a Motion moved by the House Leader, Hon. Major Jack and co-sponsored by 25 other Members, that the seats of these 4 Members be declared vacant for their continued refusal or failure to attend and participate in Legislative meetings of the House, without just cause for a period amounting in aggregate, to more than one-third of the total number of days the House met in the First Session of the Tenth Assembly and for also being absent in the past fifty -six legislative sittings of the Second Session.

Debating the Motion, Members spoke in unison in support of the Motion, and sympathized with the constituents of those Constituencies whose voices have been drowned in the House for about one year because of the abdication of legislative duties by their representatives.

Commenting on the Motion, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, recalled that after the peace parley that was held at the instance of the President, the House withdrew its impeachment notice on the Governor and also recalled the four suspended Members, yet they have obstinately refused to attend sittings of the House.

When the Speaker put the question, the House voted in the affirmative that the seats of the 4 Members be declared vacant, and the Independent National Electoral Commission be notified to conduct elections to fill the vacancies.

Rt. Hon. Amaewhule reiterated that given the fact the Court of Appeal upheld all the injunctive orders given by the Federal High Court, Governor Siminialayi Fubara is again enjoined to present the 2024 Appropriate Bill to the House.

Earlier, the Leader of the House, Hon. Major Jack had under statement by the Leader, informed the House that he was in receipt of the Judgement of the Court of Appeal which upheld the judgement of Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court which recognized the authenticity of the Rivers State House of Assembly under the Speakership of Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, which was appealed against by Governor Fubara.

The Leader, laid the document on the table and was received and adopted by the House as a working document.