Taiwo Popoola
A lawyer and Constituent, Kenneth Amadi, has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to commence recall proceedings against the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule.
The development is the latest twist in the protracted political crisis in Rivers State, which ensued after Fubara fell out with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, currently minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Amaewhule’s seat and that of 26 others pro-Wike members of the Assembly were declared vacant by lawmakers loyal to Fubara following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All-Progressives Congress, APC.
As a result of the development, Fubara worked with the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led three-man faction of the Assembly.
Fubara presented the budget to the Oko-Jumbo group, and they also confirmed commissioner nominees and other appointments coming from the governor.
However, Amaewhule and the 26 others later renounced their defection and the Supreme Court, in a judgement on 28th February, 2025, ordered that they should resume sitting immediately.
The apex court also ordered the governor to represent the 2025 budget to the State Assembly, under Amaewhule’s leadership.
Meanwhile, a letter obtained by Urban Express News Online on Wednesday, 12th March, 2025, showed that proceedings have been initiated to recall Amaewhule from the Assembly.
The letter, dated 7th March, 2025, and addressed to the Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC, Rivers State, was titled, ‘Pre-Action Notice: Request made under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, and Freedom of Information Act, 2011, for a certified true copy of the verified voter register for Obio/Akpor Federal/State Constituency, Rivers State as preliminary steps towards the recall of Martins Amaewhule, the legislator representing Obio/Akpor State Constituency at the Rivers State House of Assembly’.
A stamp on the acknowledgement copy of the letter showed that it was received by the INEC office on 11th March, 2025.
The lawyer, Amadi, explained in the letter that he is the lawyer to several indigenes of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Amaewhule’s constituency.
He further explained that the request is by the FOI Act, 2011, and sections 69 and 110 of the 1999 Constitution, as well as Section 116 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) which empowers INEC to conduct recall proceedings against a member of the National Assembly or State Assembly, or Area Council of the FCT, “upon the receipt of a valid petition alleging a loss of confidence in the member by more than 50% of voters registered to vote in that member’s constituency”.
Parts of the letter read, “I write in my capacity as a lawyer to several indigenes of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State who are desirous of initiating a recall of Martins Amaewhule for the following reasons:
“Defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress in December 2023.
“Failure to provide effective representation for the majority of the public interests of constituents, instead focusing on his and political godfather’s interests.
“Consistent involvement in undemocratic, illegal and violent impeachment activities since the year 2013 when he moved the motion for impeachment of a duly and legally appointed Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“Disobedience to the judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered on 28th February 2025 which directed all parties to await the final determination of the legal status of Amaewhule and 26 other law-makers of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected in December 2023.
“Illegal usurpation of the duties of His Excellency, Governor of Rivers State by amendment of certain laws of Rivers State to confer upon himself the powers to extend the tenure of Chairmen of the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Rivers State and appointment of Commissioners of the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission (just to mention a few).
“Failure to fulfill his campaign promises to build agriculture and aquaculture farms for Obio/Akpor State constituency youths, just to mention a few.
“Failure to publish and comply with a legislative agenda of the Rivers State House of Assembly as is the legislative practice of the National Assembly.”
The letter warned that if the requested CTC of the voter register is not made available within seven days, the constituents will take legal action to enforce their legal rights.
Speaking further, Amadi said Amaewhule has serially violated court orders since he was restored as the speaker of the Assembly.
The lawyer added that the business of lawmaking had come to a standstill, as the Amaewhule-led Assembly is only interested in fighting the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC.
“In the days immediately after the Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment of 28th February 2025, Amaewhule has issued several ultimatums against the Chairman of RSIEC and more recently a bench warrant for the arrest of the chairman and commissioners of the RSIEC.
“This is despite a valid injunction of a High Court of Rivers State that prevents Amaewhule and the Rivers State House of Assembly from doing anything against the said Chairman of the RSIEC pending the hearing of the ongoing lawsuit that the said chairman of the RSIEC filed against Amaewhule and his 26 lawmakers,” he said.
Amadi added that the “uncommon and exuberant zeal that Amaewhule and his 26 lawmakers are expending upon the RISEC alone since their resumption since after 28th February 2025 raises a lot of suspicion and worry”.
“This is because it appears that the entire business of lawmaking of the Rivers State House of Assembly has come to a standstill, there is no mention of any other activities such as Bills that undergo first or second reading, there is no mention of constituency projects or visits to constituencies, and certainly no mention of oversight functions.
“The only activity that we hear and read about as the function of the Rivers State House of Assembly is ultimatums and bench warrant for the arrest of the Chairman and Commissioners of the RISEC,” he further observed.
Political crisis in Rivers State further escalated on Wednesday, 12th March, 2025, with Governor Sim Fubara prevented from gaining access to the Assembly quarters to present the 2025 budget to the lawmakers, as ordered by the Supreme Court.
Despite a letter forwarded by Fubara to the Speaker, Amaewhule, dated 11th March, 2025, which notified the lawmakers of the governor’s intention to present the budget on 12th March, 2025, the gates of the Assembly quarters were locked when Fubara and other government officials arrived for the function.
The governor left without presenting the Budget, leading to another impasse in the already protracted political crisis.
