Last year’s Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party in Rivers State, Sen. Magnus Abe has declared the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly as the authentic State Assembly.
Abe, who said this at a Luncheon organized in honour of the lawmakers in Port Harcourt, said three members cannot form an Assembly.
He said, “Last night, I joined the Honourable Minister of the FCT, my friend & brother, H.E. Nyesom Wike -CON, and several other prominent sons and daughters of Rivers State, at the Luncheon specially organized in honour of the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Speaking to the issues in Rivers State, as former member of the Rivers State House of Assembly who was voted the best legislator at the time, and two term member of the Senate, I think I have the credential to speak.
On the point of law, there is no where our constitution allows for three (3) persons to sit and appropriate the resources of the state. Our democracy is guided by the principle of a broad majority, and going by that, the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, are the assembly.
Whether the members defected or not, the constitution allows that. I defected on the floor of the senator from PDP to APC, I didn’t loose my seat, David Mark being the senate President at the time didn’t declare my seat vacant. The presiding officer Rt. Hon. Martins Ameawhule didn’t declare the seats of these members vacant, so they remain members.
We must understand that constitutionally, the ultimate power lies with the people and it is established in their representatives, which is either the state assembly or the National Assembly. Being guided by this fact, is important.
