Rivers Crisis: INEC Told to Immediately Conduct By-Election for 25 Vacant Assembly Seats

• The Rivers State House of Assembly declared 25 legislative seats vacant after members, including Martin Amaewhule, defected from the PDP to the APC in December 2023
• Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo urged INEC to conduct by-elections without further delay, citing the need to restore stability and prevent distractions caused by the vacant seats
• Oko-Jumbo rejected claims by Amaewhule and his group that they had the power to declare other Assembly members’ seats vacant

Port Hacourt, River state – The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct immediate by-elections to fill 25 vacant legislative seats.

TheTalk.NG reported that these seats were declared vacant following the defection of Martin Amaewhule and 24 other members from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December 2023.

Rivers Assembly speaker, Victor Oo-Jumbo speaks on 25 vacant seats
Photo credit: Victor Oo-Jumbo/Siminalayi FubaraSource: UGC

In a fast twist, the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, also declared Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and three other pro-Fubara lawmakers’ seats vacant following their absence from sittings for 152 days.

Oko-Jumbo Responds to Amaewhule claims

Speaking on Tuesday, October 14, Oko-Jumbo dismissed claims of Martin Amaewhule and his group purportedly declaring Oko-Jumbo and other loyal members’ seats vacant, Vanguard reported.

He described it as a joke taken too “joke taken too far.”

Oko-Jumbo asserted:

“Today, the 15th of October, 2024, Martin Chike Amaewhule and 24 others who ceased to be members of the Rivers State House of Assembly on December 11, 2023, purportedly declared vacant the legislative seats of Rt. Honourable Victor Oko-Jumbo and others. They have no such powers. This is an exercise in futility.”

Oko-Jumbo: Amaewhule, 24 Rivers Assembly members’ seats vacant

Oko-Jumbo reaffirmed the Assembly’s position that the seats had been legitimately vacated and must be filled through a by-election, Channels Televisio reported.

His words:

“The fact of the defection by Martin Chike Amaewhule and 24 others cannot be erased by pretenders like Amaewhule and his committee of friends.”

INEC urged to conduct by election for 25 vacant seats

Victor Oko-Jumbo emphasized the urgent need for INEC to fulfill its responsibility by organizing the elections, noting that the delay since December 13, 2023, has caused confusion.

He stated:

“We are calling on INEC to immediately conduct by-elections to fill the legislative seats declared vacant.”

PDP finally opens can of worms on Fubara, Wike feud

Earlier, TheTalk.NG reported that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has somewhat blamed the Rivers state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, for the crisis rocking the state.

Specifically, the opposition party accused Fubara of rejecting opportunities to control the party structure in the state.

Source: TheTalk.NG

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