● Tonye Okurumo
…Insists INEC Must Conduct Bye-Election to Fill Vacant Seats Declared on Dec 13
Port Harcourt – The Rivers State House of Assembly has reiterated its stance that the legislative seats of former Speaker Martin Chike Amaewhule and 24 other lawmakers remain vacant following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Assembly has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently conduct a bye-election to fill these vacancies without further delay.
This development was confirmed by the Speaker of the Rivers Assembly, Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo, during a press briefing on Tuesday in Port Harcourt. Oko-Jumbo expressed frustration over the prolonged delay by INEC in organizing the elections. The 25 legislative seats were declared vacant on December 13, 2023, by the then Speaker, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, after the lawmakers defected from the PDP to the APC.
“The inability of INEC to do the needful since December 13, 2023, has allowed for unnecessary distractions from Amaewhule and his committee of friends,” Oko-Jumbo stated. He emphasized that INEC must fulfill its constitutional obligations to the people of Rivers State, as the defected lawmakers no longer have the mandate to represent their constituencies.
Oko-Jumbo further highlighted the legal basis for the Assembly’s decision, referencing an affidavit deposed by Amaewhule in Martin Chike Amaewhule & 26 Ors v. INEC & 5 Ors. In the affidavit, Amaewhule admitted that their defection was a result of internal crises within the PDP, which led them to join the APC. “Their defection was widely covered by the media, and no court has overturned the declaration of their seats as vacant,” Oko-Jumbo pointed out.
He described recent actions by Amaewhule and the defected members, who claimed to have declared the seats of Oko-Jumbo and other current members vacant, as “a joke taken too far.” Oko-Jumbo insisted that the defected lawmakers no longer have the authority to make such declarations, emphasizing, “This is an exercise in futility.”
Supporting the Speaker’s position, Joseph Igwe, a senior lawyer based in Port Harcourt, reiterated the need for INEC to act without further delay. “The people of Rivers State have been left without proper representation for far too long. INEC’s failure to organize the bye-elections is a disservice to democracy,” Igwe said.
Political analyst, Barrister Emeka Nwankwo, also weighed in on the issue, stating that INEC’s delay is creating a dangerous vacuum in the state’s legislative functions. “INEC must not delay any further. The longer this goes on, the more it undermines the democratic process in Rivers State,” Nwankwo remarked.
Victor Oko-Jumbo in red
Oko-Jumbo also used the opportunity to remind Rivers residents to disregard any claims made by Amaewhule and his allies, calling them “pretenders” with no legal standing. “They are no longer members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and they have no power to declare any legitimate seat vacant,” he concluded.
The Rivers State Assembly’s position on the matter remains firm, with calls for INEC to conduct the bye-elections growing louder. The people of Rivers State are now waiting for the commission to fulfill its constitutional role and restore full representation to the legislative body. GMTNewsng
