Port Harcourt, Nigeria – The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, has declared the seats of Edison Ehie, Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and three other pro-Fubara lawmakers vacant. The decision followed their absence from legislative sittings for 152 days without proper notification, The Bureau Newspaper reports.
During plenary, Speaker Amaewhule revealed that Ehie failed to formally inform the Assembly of his appointment as Chief of Staff, leading to the declaration of his seat as vacant. The Speaker also noted that Victor Oko-Jumbo and two additional lawmakers were similarly removed for continuous absenteeism over 152 days, violating the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
The Assembly held three separate votes to officially declare their seats vacant, citing a lack of notification or permission for their extended absence. Following this, the House resolved to write to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), requesting elections to fill the vacant seats within 90 days to ensure the people of those constituencies have representation.
In another development, the Assembly agreed to give Governor Fubara a new opportunity to present the 2024 Appropriations Bill. This comes after the Appeal Court nullified the previous N800bn bill, which had been presented to a parallel Assembly led by Edison Ehie.