Politics

Rivers Assembly Crisis: Fresh Trouble Looms As Amaewhule Faction Declares Pro-Fubara Lawmakers Seats Vacant

Published

9 months ago

October 15, 2024

The Martin Amaewhule faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly has declared the seat of the now Chief of Staff to the State Government, Edison Ehie, and the Pro-Fubara Assembly Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo, vacant, citing their prolonged absence from legislative meetings without just cause.

The affected members Ehie (Ahoada East II), Victor Oko Jombo (Bonny), Adolphus Oruibienimigha (Opobo/Nkoro), and Sokari Sokari (Ahoada West), are pro-Siminialayi Fubara lawmakers in the state.

According to a statement by Martins Wachukwu, Special Assistant on Media to the speaker, the Assembly during its plenary, Tuesday said the decision was made in compliance with Sections 109 (1)(e), (f), and 109 (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

The motion to declare the seats vacant was moved by Major Jack and co-sponsored by 25 other members, even as the move comes on the heels of controversy surrounding Governor Fubara’s 2024 Appropriation Bill.

The governor had presented the N800 billion budget to only four out of 31 members of the Assembly, despite presidential intervention that urged Fubara to represent the budget to Amaewhule’s led Assembly.

However, at the resumed sitting, Major Jack and co-sponsored by 25 other members, moved that the seats of the four members be declared vacant for their continued refusal or failure to attend and participate in legislative meetings of the House, without just cause for a period amounting in aggregate, to more than one-third of the total number of days the House met in the first session of the 10th Assembly and for also being absent in the past 56 legislative sittings of the second session.

Debating the motion, members spoke in unison in support of the motion, and sympathized with the constituents of those constituencies whose voices have been drowned in the House for about one year because of the abdication of legislative duties by their representatives.

Commenting on the motion, Amaewhule recalled that after the peace parley that was held at the instance of the President, the House withdrew its impeachment notice on the governor and also recalled the four suspended members, yet they have obstinately refused to attend sittings of the House.

When the Speaker put the question, the House voted in the affirmative that the seats of the four members be declared vacant, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, be notified to conduct elections to fill the vacancies.

Amaewhule reiterated that given the fact the Court of Appeal upheld all the injunctive orders given by the Federal High Court, Go

Politics

BREAKING: PDP National Caucus Holds Late-night Meeting In Abuja

Published

5 hours ago

July 23, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is currently holding a late-night National Caucus meeting at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja.

The closed-door session, which began at 9:00 p.m., is being chaired by the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum. It includes top party figures such as Governors Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), and Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), as well as former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Chief Bode George, and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and Board of Trustees (BoT).

According to party insiders, key items on the agenda include the zoning arrangement for the 2027 presidential ticket, preparations for the forthcoming national convention, and issues around security.

“The zoning of the presidential ticket is a sensitive matter that requires careful consideration,” a source told Vanguard.

Another top priority is party unity, especially in light of recent defections to other parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Security concerns are also being discussed following the recent assassination attempt on Mr Jude Ezenwafor, the PDP governorship candidate for Anambra State.

“The safety of our members is paramount,” the source stressed.

This meeting is expected to shape deliberations at the party’s 101st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled to be held tomorrow (Thursday).

Politics

Imansuangbon Formally Obtains ADC Card, Laments Hardship In Nigeria

Published

11 hours ago

July 23, 2025

Editor

Edo businessman and politician, Barrister Kenneth Imansuangbon, has described the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the only alternative political party to rescue Nigeria from its present ‘pitiable state.’

Imansuangbon spoke on Wednesday at the party secretariat in Benin when he was formally handed the party card by the chairman of the ADC in Edo State, Comrade Kennedy Odion.

Imansuangbon, who was a Labour Party governorship aspirant in the 2024 election in Edo State, said he saw the Labour Party as rescuer but unfortunately turned to be a sharm, stressing that ADC is in tandem with his belief as a person who has the common man in heart.

He said: “Me, I have found an alternative. I have found a credible vehicle. An alternative that is genuinely for change. An alternative that wants to reduce the price of food. An alternative that loves the common man. An alternative that loves the Okada rider. An alternative that loves the widow. An alternative that loves the students. That alternative is ADC.

“Therefore, I call on all well meaning Nigerians to join the moving train. We have decided today to rescue our dear country. This is the vehicle. There is no other train.”

Imansuangbon, who lamented that due to the harsh economic in the country he can no longer distribute rice to Edo people particularly the less privileged as he used to do during Christmas, lamented further: “I’m tired, very tired that a bag of rice that was sold at ₦7,500 some years ago is now being sold for over a ₦100,000. Me, Riceman, I’m tired. I can no longer buy rice to share to the poor people of Edo State. I can no longer share rice to the widow of Edo State. I’m really tired.

“I’m tired because I can no longer buy fuel. Some years ago, fuel was ₦65 per litre, today it’s ₦1000. Nigerians are tired.

“We are tired that our children will graduate, but no work.”

Earlier, the state party chairman, Comrade Kennedy Odion, while describing Imansuangbon as a man of the people, said the ADC, being a moving train, has provided a platform for every Nigerian with the aim of rescuing the country.

Odion, who said the road to rescue Nigeria may be rough but shall surely be a reality, asserted that Nigerians will soon experience a massive exodus to the party.

Politics

BREAKING: Two Senators Dump PDP For APC

Published

12 hours ago

July 23, 2025

Editor

Two Senators from Akwa Ibom State have dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and joined the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The Senators are Sampson Ekong, senator representing Akwa Ibom south, and Aniekan Bassey, the Akwa Ibom north-east.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio read their letters of defection during Wednesday’s plenary.

DAILY POST reports that there has been gale of defection from PDP to the ruling APC.

While several political bigwigs dumped the party for the African Democratic Congress, ADC, others have found solace in the APC.

The two Akwa Ibom Senators, according to the letters read by Akpabio, cited the leadership crisis rocking the PDP as their reasons for rejecting the party.