The political turmoil within the Rivers State House of Assembly intensified on Monday as the Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, issued a 7-day ultimatum to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to re-present the 2024 budget. This development followed the first sitting of the pro-Wike faction of the House after a prolonged hiatus.
According to Channels Television, in a parallel development, another faction of the House, led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, continues to hold separate sittings, showing the deepening division within the state's legislative body. Governor Fubara had initially presented the budget to the faction loyal to him, with his current Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, presiding as Speaker. This faction swiftly passed the budget estimates, which Fubara subsequently signed into law, highlighting the budget's focus on promoting economic development, inclusive growth, and addressing socio-economic inequality in Rivers State.
The renewed activity in the Amaewhule-led Assembly comes in the wake of a Court of Appeal judgment last week that nullified the expulsion of Amaewhule and 24 other lawmakers from the Assembly by the Rivers State High Court. In May, Justice Charles Wali of the Rivers State High Court had issued an ex parte order barring Amaewhule and his colleagues from parading themselves as members of the Assembly, following a motion brought by Victor Oko-Jumbo.
However, a three-member panel of the appellate court ruled that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to issue the ex parte order, citing Section 272(3) of the Constitution, which grants the Federal High Court exclusive jurisdiction to determine the vacancy of a House of Assembly seat. The appellate court declared the ex parte order null and void.
Despite this ruling, Victor Oko-Jumbo, speaking during a plenary on Friday, expressed his faction's disagreement with the appellate court's decision. "We strongly believe that the Court of Appeal was in error when it held that the Rivers State High Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear and determine SUIT NO PHC/1512/CS/2024," Oko-Jumbo stated. He further revealed that his faction had instructed their lawyers to file an appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, challenging the appellate court's judgment delivered on July 4, 2024.
The legal and political battle within the Rivers State House of Assembly explains the deep divisions and ongoing struggle for control within the state's legislative and executive branches. As