The decamped Rivers legislators have faced accusations of unlawfully tampering with Rivers LGA legislation, prompting calls for the Inspector General of Police to arrest and penalize them.
Daily Trust reported that the G-60, a coalition opposing members of the 10th National Assembly, voiced concern.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara's objections were disregarded by the Rivers State House of Assembly, which proceeded to enact the amended bill into law.
Opposition lawmakers from the House of Representatives, represented by spokesperson Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, respond with a statement. They argued that the approval of the bill could lead to chaos and claimed it lacked enforceability.
Ugochinyere questions the legitimacy of the Rivers House of Assembly under the leadership of Martin Amaewhule, who has recently switched allegiance.
He asserted that this assembly lacks the authority to adopt, modify, or veto laws, rendering their actions illegitimate and a case of legislative overreach.
There are concerns about whether lawmakers aligned with Nyesom Wike, the FCT minister, are attempting to undermine the Fubara administration and breach the terms of a presidential peace agreement.
Critics accuse Amaewhule and his allies of unconstitutional behavior, labeling their efforts to pass the amended bill into law against Governor Siminalayi Fubara's wishes as pointless.
The federal legislators asserted, “The audacity of decamped Rivers State House of Assembly passing the Rivers State Local Government (Amendment) Bill into law overriding the assent of Governor Siminalayi Fubara is legislative rascality taken too far."
“Amaewhule and his cohorts are on a spree of amending several laws, even when they are still not lawmakers in the eyes of the law."
"This is in reference to Section 109(1g) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. So it’s laughable for the supposed lawmakers to assume that such a law can take retrospective effect."
“Decamped’ Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers House of Assembly are illegitimate and has no right to enact, amend, or veto any law; hence, it’s unenforceable and legislative rascality taken too far."
"We therefore call on the Inspector General of Police, IGP, to arrest and prosecute the decamped Rivers lawmakers for criminally tampering with Rivers LGA law.”