Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Member representing Bonny Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Victor Oko-Jumbo, has emerged as factional Speaker of the Assembly.
Oko-Jumbo is among the four lawmakers loyal to the the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The swearing in of the new Speaker took place Wednesday at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
Mr Edison Ehie, a former speaker of the Assembly had vacated his seat at the Assembly after he was appointed the Chief of Staff to the governor.
Edison had declared the seat of the 27 lawmakers, loyal to the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike vacant following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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He cited Section 109 sub section 1(g) of the Nigerian constitution as a basis for his action.
Recalled that the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the state, Tony Okocha had on Tuesday directed the 27 lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule to commence impeachment process against the governor.
The factional speaker after taking his oath of office, thanked Governor Fubara for the opportunity to serve the state, stressing that Rivers now has a working House to help the governor move the state forward.
Speaking on the floor of the House, Oko-Jumbo said his emergence was in line with Section 92(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (CFRN 1999) as Amended.
“You will agree with me that after the House last sat on the 13th of December, 2023, and adjourned sine dine, there has been an avalanche of legislative rascality perpetrated by the 25 former members of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly, led by the former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule.
“These former members, being fully aware of the provisions of Section 109(1)(g) of the CFRN 1999, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Party (APC) on the 11th of December, 2023.
“Consequently, the Rt. Hon. Edison Ogerenye Ehie-led Assembly, on the 13th of December, 2023, wrote to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declaring the seats of the 25 lawmakers vacant in line with Section 109(1)(g) and (2) of the CFRN 1999”
Oko-Jumbo who noted that there were plethora of cases pending in courts in the defection of the 27 lawmakers, emphasised: “All laws, plenary sessions and actions taken by the illegal House members are hereby declared void and a nullity in the eyes of the law by virtue of the judgment of Lord Denning in the celebrated case of MacFoy v UAC (1961) 3 All ER 1169.
“Lord Denning held in that case that you cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand. Particularly, Lord Denning stated: ‘If an act is void, then it is in law a nullity. It is not only bad, but incurably bad. There is no need for an order of court to set it aside.
“‘It is automatically null and void without more ado, though it is sometimes more convenient to have the court declare it to be so’.”
Oko-Jumbo further stated that every proceeding which was founded on the activities of the Amaewhule’s led lawmakers had become “bad and incurably bad”.
He said “You cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stay there. It will collapse”.
The new speaker called on the Executive arm, the Judiciary and the general public to disregard every law purportedly enacted by the Amaewhule’s led lawmakers, saying that they all amount to nothing but an exercise in futility.
He said, “Furthermore, this House would want to most respectfully urge and call on His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to desist forthwith from further dealings with the 25 former lawmakers, in whatever guise.
“Those members are merely floating and do not have any landing ground or anywhere to berth their ship since their defection to the All Progressives Congress on the 11th of December, 2023.
“This House is the legally and constitutionally recognised House of Assembly by virtue of the defection of the other members, and is ready to receive correspondences from and work with His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara. Distinguished colleagues, let me thank you once again.
“I know I can count on your unalloyed and unwavering support as we work with His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara in moving our dear Rivers State forward in promoting the progress and welfare of the State.”
Speaking with journalists after the sitting, the newly elected Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo, said he will stay true to his constitutional duties and work assiduously for the growth and development of Rivers people and the State.
“We will sit again, and communicate our proceedings to the public and make sure that we are doing what we ought to do to ensure there is transparency and clarity of leadership of the 10th Legislative Assembly.”
Also speaking, the newly elected Leader of the House, Sokari Goodboy Sokari, member representing Ahoada West Constituency said: “We will work in line with set goals to achieve synergy with the Executive.
“We want to further warn that if His Excellency, the Governor ever have any dealing with those former members, we, the original members of the 10th Assembly, who by the provisions of the Constitution, form the quorum to address legislative business of the day, will have no choice than to raise the gavel, which is to commence impeachment proceedings against him.”
He, therefore, urged the Governor to work in tandem with the legitimate members of the 10th Assembly to ensure the delivery of good governance and quality dividends of democracy to Rivers people, who have bestowed their trust and mandate on them at this time.
Meanwhile, the new Speaker was led to the plenary with the original mace of the Rivers State House of Assembly by the Sergeant-at-Arms, David Wariboko, who managed the last sitting of the Amaewhule-led Assembly in the same position.
