A faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Mr. Victor Oko-Jumbo, loyal to Gov. Siminalayi Fubara, has rejected a resolution passed by another faction led by Mr. Martin Amaewhule, allegedly “blocking” the governor’s access to the state’s funds.
The purported resolution attempted to restrict the governor and state government from accessing funds from the state’s Consolidated Revenue Fund.
Oko-Jumbo declared that Amaewhule and other lawmakers who defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Party (APC) have vacated their seats.
He labelled their continued sittings as unlawful and illegitimate while speaking at a plenary at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
In a statement on Tuesday, Mr. G. M. Gillis-West, the Clerk of the Rivers State House of Assembly, declared the seats of the lawmakers who defected to the APC vacant on December 13, 2023.
Hon. Edison Ehie, the legitimate Speaker of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly at the time, made the declaration.
The statement quoted Oko-Jumbo as saying: “The House states as follows: On December 11, 2023, at the 87th Legislative sitting of the House, former Speaker Martin Amaewhule and the 24 former members defected from the PDP to the APC.
“According to Section 109(1)(g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, the seats of the defected lawmakers were automatically declared vacant on December 13, 2023, following their defection.
“Then-Speaker Edison Ogerenye Ehie, acting on a court order from Justice Danagogo in Suit No. PHC/3030/CS/2023, formally declared their seats vacant pursuant to Section 109(2) of the Constitution.”
Oko-Jumbo expressed amusement at the news of the purported sitting of the 25 former lawmakers, which he described as illegal and which was broadcast on television and social media platforms on July 15, 2024.
Amaewhule had warned that the legislature would halt all expenditures until Fubara presented the 2024 Appropriation Bill for their review and approval.
The resolution also instructed all state government ministries, agencies, and departments to stop using taxpayer funds until the House receives the 2024 Appropriations Bill.
Oko-Jumbo maintained that the only legitimate and recognized Rivers state house of assembly is the one he presides over, dismissing the rival faction led by Amaewhule.
He said: “Consequent upon constitutional provisions and the declaration of their seats vacant, the recognised 10th Rivers State House of Assembly is the one led by Victor Oko-Jumbo.
Thus, the Rivers state government has ceased paying any form of salaries, allowance, or statutory remuneration to the former members.
“The 10th Rivers State House of Assembly, which is the legitimate House under the leadership of Victor Oko-Jumbo, is the only one recognised by law and the Rivers state government, and thus has been receiving all statutory allocations due the House of Assembly.
“And has been discharging its financial obligations by paying the salaries of the recognised members of the House, their aides, and the allowances of the public servants in the Rivers state house of assembly.”
He noted that Amaewhule and the 24 former lawmakers based their resolution on Section 122 of the 1999 Constitution, which grants a governor the authority to continue making appropriations from the previous year’s budget for up to six months if they are unable to present a new Appropriation Bill to the House.
He said: “May I remind the defected members that His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, presented the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the Rivers State House of Assembly, under the leadership of the then Speaker, Rt. Hon. Edison Ogerenye Ehie.
“It was duly passed on December 13, 2023, and assented to on December 14, 2023.
“This House awaits to receive from His Excellency the presentation of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework for the next three financial years, pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers State Fiscal Responsibility Law, No. 8 of 2010, in order to prepare for the 2025 fiscal year.
“The general public is, therefore, called upon to disregard and ignore those misguided former members and also discountenance their illegal actions.
“I once again call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to expedite preparations towards the conduct of a bye-election to fill the vacant seats created in the Rivers state house of assembly by the defection of Martin Amaewhule and 24 others.”
Oko-Jumbo clarified that the legitimate Rivers State House of Assembly has formally notified the following officials of its position: Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu, Secretary to the State Government, Head of Civil Service, Accountant-General, and Auditor-General, reaffirming its authority and legitimacy.
Oko-Jumbo also stated that notifications have been sent to various national institutions, including the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission, Accountant-General of the Federation, and the CEOs of Zenith Bank and Access Bank, informing them of the legitimate Rivers State House of Assembly’s position.
At the commencement of legislative business, a member representing Opobo/Nkoro State Constituency and Deputy Speaker, Hon. Adolphus Orubienimigha, proposed the Rivers State Vocational and Technical Training Institute Bill 2024, which passed the first reading.
The bill aims to establish a comprehensive training institute that Rivers youths, including women, can utilize to learn and acquire industry-based skills necessary for self-reliance or employability.
In order to address the issue, protect public health and dignity, and encourage environmental responsibility in the state, Orubienimigha’s motion to ban public defecation was considered by the House during the plenary session.
The House received a petition from the Ataba Community in Andoni Local Government Area regarding a long-standing land dispute with the Bonny Community.
The Speaker referred the matter to the House Committee on Public Complaints, chaired by Hon. Sokari Goodboy Sokari, for further investigation and resolution.
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