Eight pro-Fubara lawmakers elect Ehie Edison as new Speaker
By Emma Ogbuehi
The crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly assumed a dramatic turn this afternoon as eight members of the Assembly loyal to the embattled state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, have elected a new speaker, Ehie Edison.
The Assembly has 32 members. Twenty-four of them had earlier endorsed Fubara’s ouster.
Chief Edwin Clark, paramount Ijaw leader, had earlier called on President Bola Tinubu to caution the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesome Wike, over his alleged role in the attempt by 24 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Siminalaye Fubara.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Clark said: “I understand the sad episode is being orchestrated by the immediate past Governor of Rivers State and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike.
“And that the intention is to remove the Governor, force his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu to resign, and install the Speaker of the House of Assembly, another Ikwerre person as the governor of the State.
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“Let me warn strongly, we won’t allow that to happen! President Bola Tinubu must call Nyesom Wike and the security agencies in Rivers State to order, to avert any untold crisis in Rivers State.”
Edison, who was earlier suspended as the leader of the House by the anti-Fubara lawmakers, was elected the speaker after a sitting held in the Government House.
The development came as part of efforts by pro-Fubara lawmakers to frustrate the ongoing moves to impeach the governor.
TheNiche had earlier reported that 24 out of 32 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have signed a document to impeach Governor Fubara.
They served impeachment notice on Fubara after impeaching and suspending House Leader Edison Ehie who is believed to be on the Governor’s side.
The decisions were taken at an emergency sitting by the lawmakers on Monday morning.
The unusual sitting took place between 7am and 9am.
Although newsmen were barred from the sitting, TheNiche gathered that all the 24 members who signed the impeachment notice were present.
Ehie was not present at the sitting but later came in with the Governor.
However the action had already been concluded as the lawmakers left the Assembly complex through the second gate before Fubara and Ehie were allowed access to the complex.
