By: Bayero Ade
In a dramatic development, the Rivers State House of Assembly, under the leadership of Speaker Martin Amaewhule, has overridden Governor Siminialayi Fubara’s refusal to assent to three important bills introduced a month ago.
According to Politics Nigeria, the bills include the Rivers State Education (Return of Schools) (Amendment) Bill, the Rivers Electricity Market Bill, and the Rivers State Commissions of Inquiry Bill, 2024.
During Thursday’s plenary, lawmakers aligned with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike invoked Section 100(5) of the 1999 Constitution, which grants the legislature the power to override the governor’s veto. The motion, presented by Majority Leader Major Jack, was passed unanimously after a heated debate.
Speaker Amaewhule criticized Governor Fubara, accusing him of impeding progress through “indolence and ineptitude.” He emphasized that the House would uphold constitutional principles to ensure the state’s development, asserting that the laws are now in effect despite the governor’s objections.
In response, Jerry Omatsogunwa, Special Assistant to Governor Fubara on Electronic Media, dismissed the Assembly’s move, calling the legislators a “committee of friends” and questioning the feasibility of implementing the laws without the governor’s cooperation.
Omatsogunwa accused the lawmakers of working against the interests of Rivers residents, likening their actions to “children shaking a coconut tree,” and claimed their efforts would only harm themselves and alienate the public. He urged the Assembly to focus on the state’s welfare rather than pursue politically-driven agendas.
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