The Rivers House of Assembly has launched a pointed critique against Hon. Edison Ehie, a former factional speaker and staunch supporter of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, contending that he was never legitimately appointed as the speaker.
Ehie, who previously held the position of majority leader, declared himself the factional speaker on December 29, 2023, only to resign from both the speaker’s role and his position representing Ahaoda East Constituency 11 in the Assembly on the same day
In the midst of the ongoing legal tussle, where a Rivers State high court has recognized Ehie as the speaker pending the outcome of a substantive lawsuit, the Assembly’s Clerk, Emeka Amadi, issued a statement in Port Harcourt on January 3, vehemently disputing Ehie’s claims.
Amadi stated, “Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie DSSRS was never at any time in the life of the Rivers State House of Assembly elected a Speaker. The Office of the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly is a creation of the 1999 Constitution (As altered) and should not be ridiculed by any member who swore to preserve it and abide by the Constitution.”
He continued, “As a matter of fact, on Monday, the 5th day of June 2023, after the proclamation of the 10 Rivers State House of Assembly by the Governor, and in line with Section 92 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (As altered), I, as the then Acting Clerk of the House, conducted the election that produced Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, DSSRS, as the Speaker of the 10 Rivers State House of Assembly by the unanimous votes of all other thirty-one (31) members sitting and present. It is also imperative to state that, from the 5th day of June 2023, when he was elected till today, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule DSSRS, has been performing his duties as the Speaker.”
The statement urged the public to disregard Ehie’s alleged resignation, terming it as a misleading assertion.
Despite the legal intricacies surrounding the matter, the Assembly remains steadfast in asserting the legitimacy of Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule as the duly elected Speaker.
