Ehie was never elected speaker, says Rivers Assembly
The Rivers State House of Assembly has said that Edison Ehie, who recently resigned his membership of the House was never elected the Speaker of the state legislature.
The House said the Speaker of the Assembly is a creation of the law, saying Ehie, who was the member representing Ahoada East Constituency II, was only claiming what he is not.
The Clerk of the House, Emeka Amadi, stated this in a letter titled ‘To whom it may concern,’ dated January 1st, 2024, and obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday.
Amadi was reacting to the letter of resignation as Speaker and membership of the House written and signed by Ehie himself and addressed to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He described the letter by Ehie as “misleading information,” saying the latter was never at any time in the life of the Rivers Assembly elected a speaker.
The letter read, “The attention of the Rivers State House of Assembly has been drawn to a letter dated 29 December 2023, addressed to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission and circulating in the media.
“It was purportedly written and signed by Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, member representing Ahoada East Constituency II in the Rivers State of Assembly wherein he claimed to have resigned from the position of the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, an office he never occupied.
“I am therefore directed to call on the good people of Rivers State to disregard the false claim in this letter that is intended to mislead the unsuspecting public. Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie was never at any time in the life of the Rivers State House of Assembly elected a Speaker.”
The letter read further, “The Office of the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly is a creation of the 1999 Constitution (as altered) and should not be ridiculed by any member who swore to preserve it and abide by the Constitution.
“As a matter of fact, on Monday, the 5° day of June 2023, after the proclamation of the 10° Rivers State House of Assembly by the Governor, and in line with Section 92 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (As altered).
“I, as the then acting Clerk of the House, conducted the election that produced Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, DSSRS, as the Speaker of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly by the unanimous votes of all other thirty-one (31) members sitting and present.”
Amadi noted that “it is also imperative to state that, from the 5* day of June 2023, when he was elected till today,” Amaewhule “has been performing his duties as the Speaker.”
The House Clerk advised and warned “all purveyors of misleading information against the House to desist forthwith and also call on security agencies” to act to ensure the rule of law.
“This disclaimer is therefore intended to set the records straight and for the avoidance of doubt from the public that the House is empowered to legislate for.
“The Public is implored to take note accordingly,” Amadi stated.
PUNCH Online reports that Ehie, a factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, resigned from his position and membership of the House.
Ehie’s resignation was contained in a letter dated December 29, 2023, and signed by him.
The letter was addressed to the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, a copy of which was made available to PUNCH Online on Sunday, December 31, 2023.
His resignation followed the intervention of President Bola Tinubu in the political crisis rocking the state, after which some resolutions were made and signed by the parties involved.
The PUNCH reports that Ehie was elected as the speaker by some lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and he (Ehie) affirmed that he was elected as the Speaker by 26 members of the House.
Ehie was the House Leader until he was suspended in October.
PUNCH Online reports that the State House of Assembly was demolished as the facility was unfit for legislation following a fire in October according to the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson.
The incident came amid alleged moves by some lawmakers to impeach Fubara.
Meanwhile, Ehie alleged that some powerful individuals in the state were after him for standing with Fubara and opposing the plot to impeach him
