The Factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Victor Oko-Jumbo, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hold a bye-election to fill the empty seats in the RSHA. Oko-Jumbo believes that conducting a bye-election would not only calm the people’s concerns but also reduce political tension in the state.
He also advised the people of Rivers State to ignore Martin Amaewhule and 24 others who claim to be RSHA members, stating that the Court of Appeal’s judgment has not changed the situation in the state.
“Once again, we, the legitimate Members of the RSHA hereby call on the Independent National Electoral Commission to promptly conduct a Bye Election to fill the vacant seats in the RSHA.”
“We strongly urge the general public to ignore Martin Amaewhule & 24 others in their pretence that they are members of the RSHA”Victor Oko-Jumbo
Lawmakers who support Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State are going to the Supreme Court to contest the recent decision made by the Appeal Court. The Appeal Court ruling invalidated the expulsion of Martin Amaewhule, a former speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, as well as 24 other lawmakers.
Victor Oko-Jumbo affirmed that the State Assembly is challenging the decision made by the Court of Appeal regarding the jurisdiction of the Rivers State High Court to handle the case with suit number PHC/1512/CS/2024. He criticized the ruling, considering it to be an unfair judgment or a miscarriage of justice.
During a plenary session at the Government House on Friday, Oko-Jumbo announced that the House has instructed its legal team to swiftly approach the Supreme Court to contest the decision made by the Appeal Court. This ruling overturned the ex parte order issued by the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt in May, which prevented Amaewhule from resuming his position as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Lawmakers supporting Governor Fubara, led by Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo), maintained that the 25 Assembly members aligned with former Governor Nyesom Wike are still expelled. They argued that the recent ruling by the Court of Appeal only addressed the jurisdiction of the Rivers State High Court to handle the case, not the actual content of the dispute.
In addition, two bills, namely the Rivers State Transport Company Reform Bill 2024 and the Rivers State Emergency Management Bill 2024, have undergone the initial reading at the State House of Assembly.
 to hold a bye-election to fill the empty seats in the RSHA. Oko-Jumbo believes that conducting a bye-election would not only calm the people's concerns but also reduce political tension in the state.){kind=link}