The Rivers State House of Assembly has reversed its earlier decision declaring the seats of three lawmakers vacant.
The affected lawmakers are Hon. Timothy Oruibienimigha, representing Opobo/Nkoro Constituency; Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo, representing Bonny Constituency; and Hon. Sokari Goodboy Sokari, representing Ahoada West Constituency.
The decision was taken on Monday during the Assembly’s 68th legislative sitting after the three lawmakers sent letters to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, apologising for their failure to attend sittings.
In their letters, the lawmakers said they were not informed that their suspension had been lifted in December 2023.
After considering their appeals, members of the Assembly voted in favour of reversing the earlier decision, saying they were willing to have their colleagues return to represent their constituencies.
A statement by Martins Wachukwu, Special Assistant On Media To The Speaker, Rivers State House Of Assembly, gives further clarity below:
RIVERS ASSEMBLY RESCINDS DECISION ON 3 VACANT SEATS
Riding on the letters of appeal sent to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, the trio of Hon. Timothy Oruibienimigha, Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo, and Hon Sokari Goodboy Sokari, representing Opobo/Nkoro Constituency, Bonny Constituency, and Ahoada West Constituency respectively, the House on Monday, at its 68th Legislative Sitting of the Fourth Session of the Tenth Assembly rescinded it’s earlier decision declaring their seats vacant.
In their separate letters of appeal read by the Speaker at Plenary, the trio expressed a deep seated apology to the House, claiming that they failed to resume sitting with their Colleagues because there was no correspondence intimating them that their suspension of 30th October, 2023 was lifted on the 20th December, 2023, after the presidential intervention. Debating on the acceptability or otherwise of the appeal, Members submitted in favour of the plea and urged the House to rescind the earlier decision.
Commenting on the letter, and adumbrating on the submissions of Members, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Amaewhule emphasized that irrespective of the emotion-laden tenor of their letters of appeal, the point to note is that investigation has shown that they may not have received the correspondence as claimed; adding that the law does not feast on emotion, neither does the law see the rotund face of the rich nor the angular face of the poor, but sees only justice.
When the Speaker put the Question on the premise of rescinding the earlier decision, Members voted in the affirmative, willing to see their Colleagues join them to speak for their various constituencies.
Recall that in the wake of the political imbroglio that engulfed the State, more particularly the House of Assembly, four Members of the House were suspended at the 84th Legislative Sitting of the First Session of the Tenth Assembly on October 30, 2023; and following the presidential parley of 18th December, 2023, the suspension was lifted on the 20th of December, 2023 at the 89th Legislative Sitting of the First Session.
However, following the continued failure or refusal of the trio to attend and participate in legislative sittings and businesses of the Assembly for no just cause, the House at its 56th Legislative Sitting of the Second Session of the Tenth Assembly, on 15th October, 2024, in compliance with Section 109(1)(e) and (f), and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 resolved to declare their seats vacant, and accordingly notified the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct elections to fill the vacant seats.
Signed
Martins Wachukwu
Special Assistant On Media To The Speaker, Rivers State House Of Assembly
Monday, 19 October, 2026.
Additional reports from (C) NigerDelta Insider