As two groups of the State House of Assembly staged separate sittings, bringing governance to a complete standstill, the already dire political situation in Rivers State escalated to unprecedented heights. In an effort to bring about harmony and order, a number of members of the House of Representatives, led by Representative Ahmed Adam Saba, suggested seizing control of the state’s House of Assembly.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
The crisis began when former Speaker Martins Amaewhule and 24 other lawmakers defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The situation further escalated when a state high court barred Amaewhule and other lawmakers from parading as Assembly members. This decision was later overturned by the Court of Appeal, leading the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led faction to file an appeal with the Supreme Court.
According to Saharareportes, Representative Saba argued that the National Assembly’s intervention is necessary to end the crisis and ensure proper governance in Rivers State, citing Section 11 (4) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution. This is not the first time the National Assembly has intervened in a Rivers State Assembly crisis; in 2013, they passed resolutions to take over the state legislature’s functions during a similar situation.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>