The Rivers State House of Assembly, on Monday, passed the Rivers State Local Government (Amendment) Bill into law by overriding the assent of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The new law, among others, stripped the governor of the power to appoint caretaker committees for local government areas.

It also makes it mandatory for the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission to conduct elections before the expiration of the tenure of local government chairmen.

The new law also provides that if LG election cannot hold for any reason, the tenure of the sitting chairmen would be extended by not longer than six months.

This is the sixth time the House will be overriding the governor to enact laws.

The House, led by its Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, made the decision at its 159th Legislative sitting held at the Assembly Quarters in Port Harcourt.

The decision of the Assembly was disclosed in a statement on Monday by the media aide to the Speaker, Martins Wachukwu.

The Assembly had, on March 13, 2014, passed the Local Government (Amendment) Bill and forwarded the same to the governor for his assent.

Fubara, however, withheld his assent, while the lawmakers threatened that they would go ahead to override him.

The Assembly and the governor have been in a mouse-and-cat relationship since late last year after Fubara fell out with his predecessor and political godfather, Nyesom Wike.

Twenty-seven members of the Assembly, including the Speaker, are loyal to Wike and attempted to impeach Fubara last October.

The intervention by President Bola Tinubu doused the tension for a while but recent events have shown that the gladiators are back in the trenches.

The Monday statement by the Speaker’s aide read: “Determined to perform its constitutional duties, the bill was presented afresh by the Majority Leader, Hon. Major Jack, and debated by members.

“Thereafter, the House, in accordance with the provisions of Section 100(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as altered, which empowers the House to override the governor, where he withholds his assent; the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, put the question to the House and with two-thirds majority votes, the House agreed to override the governor and passed the bill into law.”

In another development, the House also screened and confirmed nominees for the position of chairman and members of the Assembly Service Commission.

Those screened and confirmed were Sampson Worlu as Chairman; Abinye Blessing Pepple, Mrs Blessing Belema Derefaka, Mr.Gbaranen Robinson and Madam Dorcas Amos as members.

The statement recalled that the Assembly had on March 22, 2024, passed the Rivers State Assembly Service Commission(Amendment) Bill into law, wherein the House donated back to itself the power to appoint the chairman and members of the Assembly Service Commission.

Efforts to get the reaction of the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, proved abortive as his line was busy when our correspondent put calls across.

Also, he had yet to reply text and WhatsApp messages sent to him as of the time of filing this report on Monday evening.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/pro-wike-lawmakers-strip-fubaras-power-to-appoint-lg-caretakers/%3famp

Almost, a quarter of his term and Wike is so engrossed in distracting him from administrating the state forward.

In all of these, it’s the people that bear the brunts.

Hehehe

This is naija politics.

Who pass u pass u.

Gba fun oga e.

Wike no become irrelevant like some people predicted

Shame on Nigeria political system.
Until we start to vote individuals and not parties, godfatherism will not end.

SMH

I SEE

Fubara deserves this breakfast.

Smh

Na wah o. People are just after power.

this Fubara dey act like mumu even with the support given to him by Odili, Amaechi, Omehia, Asari and other leaders in Rivers. he should go and learn from Obaseki

Fubara the balless simp

Nah wah ooh

Power tussle for naija get as he be

That Fubara man lacks some balls.

While this new law is a win for democracy ( to allow free will in local government issues) I can see wike hand in all the these

By the end of Fubara first tenure, his power would have been whittled down drastically that he will just be a lame duck in government house.

Man seriously need to grow some long, sagging balls of enormous steel

Rivers wahala

River state Attorney general should approach court for status quo while Fubara appoint the LG management.

Matter that is currently before a court who had ordered maintenance of status quo

Filing a contempt proceedings against them should serve as a deterent.

The Speaker & co should be sent to prison asap.

Our judiciary is the problem

hisexcellency34:
this Fubara dey act like mumu even with the support given to him by Odili, Amaechi, Omehia, Asari and other leaders in Rivers. he should go and learn from Obaseki

so what do you want him to do?

He should use the head of service to run the LGAs. Rotate and transfer his men from civil service to various LGAs.

That will kill Wike plan to ensure he doesn't have the grassroots win.

He should not have restored the house members that defected

Honestly I have written nigeria off. 2024 still in godfatherism stage. Kini gbogbo radarada yi

This new law actually makes sense. Why will the governor be appointing caretaker chairmen for lga’s instead of conducting elections? Was he appointed or elected? It makes no sense for a governor to have such power.

Fubara deserves all the treatment because he has all the opportunity to take the hook off his neck but he decided to play a good boy when things have already gone soured

Who will give the chairmen allocation?

Fubara will soon be impeached

Ok na

Dis fubara go fit do any work like dis? My people have a saying that what you won't eat, you don't smell it.... Fubara should have cleared wike during the election period that he doesn't want to be controlled.....

I'm not supporting godfatherism but godfatherism made him a governor....make we talk Truth shey fubara fit win if he contested for a senatorial position?

Hmmmm. Rivers don't really have a governor yet. Wike still dey run shows from Abuja.
Them go soon impeach the Fubara guy. Man is a slow thinker.

But if the house enacts a law, is it not the governor that signs it into law?

See how Funars dey waka