BREAKING: ‘Wike’s Lawmakers’ Stage Dramatic Comeback, Hold Plenary At Assembly’s Residential Quarters

…As Gov Fubara signs N800bn 2024 budget into law

The embattled twenty-six members of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by faction Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, have reportedly staged a stunning comeback, conducting a parallel plenary session at the auditorium of the assembly residential quarters.

BIGPEN NIGERIA (https://bigpennge.com) reports that this is coming a day after the Hon.Edison Ehie faction, loyal to the governor, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara had declared their seats vacant and urged INEC to conduct fresh elections to fill the vacancies.

Factional speaker, Martins Amaewhule on duty

Recalls that Governor Siminalayi Fubara had on Wednesday approved the demolition of the Assembly Complex, citing the need to rebuild a suitable structure following the burning of part of the complex which occurred on October 29th 2023.

The lawmakers, who are loyal to immediate past governor and minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, are pushing for the sack of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

They became estranged with the governor when impeachment notice on the governor failed, thus their recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Ehie-led faction,now recognized by the court later obtained a restraining order against the Martins Amaewhule-led faction barring them from accessing the assembly complex.

But in what appears like a dramatic comeback, the lawmakers in a Thursday’s plenary held at the legislative quarters condemned the demolition of the Assembly Complex by the state government.

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Reports say the lawmaker representing Andoni constituency, Ofiks Kagbang, moved a motion of urgent public importance condemning the demolition, and this was unanimously adopted by the House.

Another member, Major Jack, presented the report on the Rivers State Local Government Amendment Bill to the Speaker, which was adopted.

Meanwhile the 2024 Appropriation Bill presented by the governor to the five-members state House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon.Ehie, has been signed into law today (Thursday) by Governor Siminalayi Fubara barely 24 hours after he presented the N800 billion budget estimates.

Ehie and other four lawmakers approved the bill which was signed into law at a ceremony held in the conference room of the Governor’s Office at the Government House.

The ceremony was witnessed by the Deputy Governor, Prof Ngozi Odu; some members of the State Executive Council; present and former lawmakers who support Governor Fubara, and some chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Local Government Areas.

The governor in his address said the estimated N800bn, tagged, ‘Budget of Renewed Hope, Consolidation and Continuity’ will be well implemented to provide critical infrastructure like the second phase of the landmark Trans-Kalabari road and meet the socio-economic needs of the people.

On his part, Rt.Hon. Ehie, one of those contending the Speakership seat in the Rivers State House of Assembly, commended the governor’s foresight in expanding infrastructure and youth development through employment generation.

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The governor had on Wednesday presented the budget estimates to five lawmakers led by Ehie, after the controversial demolition of the Assembly complex.

Ehie and Martins Amaewhule have been embroiled in a Speakership tussle but the court recognised Ehie as the Speaker pending the determination of the substantive case.