The Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly has again overridden the assent of Governor Siminialayi Fubara on three bills that were earlier passed and transmitted to the governor for assent.
The bills, which were presented to the Governor Fubara a month ago, are the Rivers State Education (Return of Schools) (Amendment) Bill, the Rivers Electricity Market Bill, and the Rivers State Commissions of Inquiry Bill, 2024.
The lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, at their sitting on Thursday, took the decision to override Fubara’s assent after he withheld it.
Commenting on the three bills, which were represented by the Majority Leader, Major Jack, and debated by members, the Speaker, Amaewhule, cited Section 100(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as the enabling provision that empowers the House to override the governor when he withholds his assent.
Consequently, when the Speaker put the question, members unanimously voted in the affirmative to override the Fubara’s assent.
Speaking on the decision of the House, the Speaker, Amaewhule, emphasised that Governor Fubara cannot hold back the state due to his indolence and ineptitude, stressing that the state must move forward.
A statement issued by the media aide to the Pro-Wike Speaker, Martins Wachukwu, and sent to newsmen said members unanimously voted in the affirmative when the Speaker put the question before them.
It quoted Amaewhule as describing Fubara as someone who sees himself as above the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the judiciary, and other extant laws of the state.
The Speaker maintained that “the House would continue to uphold the Constitution and democratic ethos,” adding that by virtue of Section 100(5) of the Constitution, these laws are now in force in Rivers State.
But in a swift reaction, the Special Assistant to Governor Fubara on Electronic Media, Jerry Omatsogunwa, said the action of the Pro-Wike lawmakers was of no effect, describing them as a “committee of friends.”
Omatsogunwa accused the lawmakers of working against the interests of the state and wondered who would implement the said overriding.
He stated, “Well, this is not the first time they are overruling. But I wonder who will implement those overrulings at the end of the day.
“I remember during the Muhammadu Buhari administration when he rejected the electoral bill twice, the National Assembly didn’t overrule him.
“They (National Assembly) went and did the right thing. So the earlier Martin Amaewhule and his committee of friends realise that Rivers people no longer take them seriously—and the earlier they know that they cannot make a U-turn or change the position of the goalpost while the game is on—the better for them.”
“For me, they are just like little children shaking the coconut tree. They think they are shaking the tree, but they end up shaking their own heads.
“They are not working for the Rivers people. I also see them as working against the Rivers people,” Fubara’s media aide added.
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