There seems to be no end in sight for the crisis in Rivers State as the Speaker Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly enacted three laws without the assent of Governor Sim Fubara.
Amaewhule-led Assembly bypassed Fubara to pass the three laws.
Speaking during plenary, the factional Speaker said Fubara sees himself as above the constitution of Nigeria.
The bills 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 said their actions were in line with Section 100(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, and in furtherance of legislative positivism in the interest of the Rivers people.
The three bills were earlier passed by the lawmakers and sent to Fubara for his assent.
Confirming the development, a statement by Amaewhule’s Special Assistant, Media, Martins Wachukwu, the lawmakers reportedly followed legislative processes to make the laws of Rivers following Fubara’s decision to withhold his assent.
According to the statement, the Majority Leader of the House, Major Jack, re-presented the bills, which were debated by members.
Amaewhule cited Section 100(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as the enabling provision that empowered the House to override the governor where he withheld his assent.
He emphasized that the governor could not hold back the state as “a result of his indolence and ineptitude”, insisting that the state must move forward.
Amaewhule described Fubara “as one who sees himself as above the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the judiciary and other extant laws of the state.”