Factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo has reacted to the declaration of his seat and that of three others vacant by the Martin Amaewhule-led faction.
Jumbo in a statement shortly after the pronouncement on Tuesday, said Amaewhule and his men have no such power as they are no longer members of the House.
According to him, he was elected Speaker of the Assembly, after Edison Ehie, noting that the seats of Amaewhule and his men were declared vacant in December.
He called on INEC to conduct bye-election to fill the vacant seats, and urged Rivers people to ignore Amaewhule and his committee of friends.
“As the Rt. Honourable Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, I call on INEC to immediately conduct bye-election to fill the legislative seats declared vacant on December 13, 2023. I also call on Nigerians and the good people of Rivers State in particular, to ignore the vituperations and ranting of Martin Chike Amaewhule and his committee of friends
“Please, recall that on the 11th day of December, 2023, Martin Chike Amaewhule and 24 others defected from the Peoples Democratic Party that sponsored their election into the Rivers State House of Assembly, to the All Progressives Congress. Their defection was headline news and widely reported in print and electronic media.
“On the 13th day of December, 2023, the defection by Martin Chike Amaewhule and 26 others was further cemented in an affidavit deposed to by Martin Chike Amaewhule, when in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1681/2023, Martin Chike Amaewhule & 26 Ors v. INEC & 5 Ors. in paragraphs 15 thereof, he deposed as follows: ‘That faced with the state of uncertainty and confusion in the 2nd defendant (Peoples Democratic Party) caused by division in the political party, the Plaintiffs were forced by the state of affairs within the 2nd defendant to defect and join the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“They are not members of the Rivers State House of Assembly not to talk of having the powers to declare vacant the legislative seats of legitimate Assembly members, who have remained steadfast and did not defect like them.”
