- Rivers State House of Assembly rejects Hon. Edison Ehie’s claim of being Speaker, asserts he was never legitimately elected
- Assembly issues press statement discrediting Ehie’s assertion, reaffirms Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule as the Speaker elected on June 5, 2023
The Rivers State House of Assembly has fired another shot in the ongoing dispute, asserting that Hon. Edison Ehie, a loyalist of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and former factional Speaker, was never legitimately elected as the Speaker.
Ehie, who previously held the position of Majority Leader in the Assembly, declared himself the factional Speaker and resigned from both the Speakership and his role as the representative of Ahaoda East Constituency II on December 29, 2023. Despite a Rivers State high court recognizing Ehie as the Speaker pending the determination of a substantive suit, the Assembly maintains that he was never rightfully elected.
In a press statement issued by the Clerk of the Assembly, Emeka Amadi, the Assembly discredited Ehie’s claim and urged the public to disregard the letter circulating in the media. The statement emphasized that the Office of the Speaker is a constitutional creation and should not be undermined by any member who has sworn to uphold and abide by the Constitution.
Amadi clarified, “Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie DSSRS was never at any time in the life of the Rivers State House of Assembly elected a Speaker.” He pointed out that the election on June 5, 2023, produced Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, DSSRS, as the Speaker, and he has been diligently performing his duties since then.
The statement highlights the Assembly’s commitment to upholding the constitutional process and dismisses any attempts to mislead the public regarding the Speakership position in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
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