The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, has declared the seats of Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and three other lawmakers loyal to Fubara vacant due to their absence from sittings for 152 days.
During today’s plenary, Speaker Amaewhule noted that Ehie failed to properly notify the House about his new position, resulting in the declaration of his seat as vacant.
For Victor Oko-Jumbo and the other two members, the House conducted three separate votes to declare their seats vacant for consecutive absenteeism over 152 days without any notification or permission, which violates the 1999 constitution.
Additionally, the Assembly agreed to notify INEC to conduct elections within 90 days to fill the vacant seats, ensuring adequate representation for their constituents.
The House also decided to give Governor Fubara another chance to present the 2024 Appropriations Bill, following the Appeal Court’s nullification of the N800 billion bill he had presented to a rival House led by Edison Ehie.
