The political turmoil in Rivers State has taken a new turn as a lawyer, Kenneth Amadi, has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to initiate recall proceedings against the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, DAILY POST reports. This development adds to the ongoing crisis that erupted after Governor Sim Fubara fell out with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The crisis began when Amaewhule and 26 other lawmakers, aligned with Wike, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). In response, lawmakers loyal to Fubara declared their seats vacant, and the governor started working with a three-man faction led by Victor Oko-Jumbo. Fubara presented the state’s budget to this faction, which also confirmed his commissioner nominees. However, Amaewhule and his colleagues later renounced their defection, and on February 28, 2025, the Supreme Court ordered them to resume their legislative duties. The court also directed Fubara to present the 2025 budget to the Amaewhule-led Assembly.
In a letter dated March 7, 2025, and received by INEC on March 11, Amadi, acting on behalf of indigenes of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area—Amaewhule’s constituency—requested a certified true copy of the verified voter register. This, he stated, was a preliminary step towards recalling the Speaker. The lawyer cited multiple reasons for the recall attempt, including Amaewhule’s defection, failure to represent public interests, involvement in impeachment activities, and disobedience of court orders.
According to Amadi, Amaewhule has “serially violated court orders” since his reinstatement as Speaker, focusing solely on political battles rather than legislative duties. He accused Amaewhule and his colleagues of using their positions to fight the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) instead of addressing governance issues. He highlighted their repeated ultimatums against the RSIEC Chairman and the issuance of a bench warrant for his arrest, despite a court injunction preventing such actions.
Amadi argued that the legislative process had come to a halt, with no bills progressing or constituency projects being implemented. He warned that if INEC failed to provide the requested voter register within seven days, legal action would be taken to enforce the constituents’ rights.
Meanwhile, the crisis intensified on March 12 when Governor Fubara attempted to present the 2025 budget to the Assembly as directed by the Supreme Court. Upon arrival at the Assembly quarters, he found the gates locked, effectively barring him from performing his constitutional duty. Fubara accused Amaewhule of deliberately avoiding him, stating that his repeated calls to the Speaker went unanswered.
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