A factional Speaker, Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo, representing Bonny Constituency, has emerged in the Rivers State House of Assembly in a new twist to the crisis rocking the state.
The emergence of a new Speaker has led to the total collapse of the peace deal brokered between the parties by President Bola Tinubu, returning all involved in the impasse to the trenches.
Earlier in the day, the state House of Assembly, presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, once more vetoed Governor Siminalayi Fubara, by consolidating the state Local Government Amendment Law No. 5 of 2015, 2023, and No. 4 of 2024.
After the consolidation, the state lawmakers passed it into a unified law.
They said this is to cure all discrepancies in the individual amendments some of which include appointment into the board of the Local Government Commission, and the payment of political office holders at the local government level.
During plenary, Amaewhule urged members not to be distracted by the governor’s comments about them because he has absolutely no legal powers to say they ‘are non-existent”.
He, however, urged the members to focus on the task ahead and provide quality representation for their various constituencies.
Lending their voices to the call, the Majority Leader, Hon Major Jack blasted the governor for referring to them as non-existent, while the Deputy Speaker condemned Fubara’s remarks referring to them as unguided.
This is coming barely 24 hours after the All Progressives Congress’ Caretaker Chairman in the state called for a resumption of impeachment proceedings against the governor by the Assembly.
On Monday, Fubara criticised the attitude of the members of the Assembly towards his administration, saying the members would cease to exist as legislators if he so decides.
He said the lawmakers are existing based on his recognition predicated on the Peace Accord initiated by President Bola Tinubu.
