THE House of Assembly in Rivers overrode the state governor Siminalayi Fubara on Friday, March 22 and enacted the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) Service Commission Law.
The legislators reached the decision following an impromptu sitting, during which the Speaker of the State Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, read four letters addressed to him by the governor, declining to grant assent to the bills transmitted to him.
The lawmakers’ action could arise from the feud between Fubara and some of the lawmakers.
Besides, there has been lingering rift between the governor and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
It was also not the first time the legislators had overridden Fubara’s refusal to assent to bills.
In January, the State Assembly overrode Fubara when he withheld assent to four bills which had been passed by the Assembly.
Amaewhule had said the reason given by the governor for declining assent would create a situation that would make elections in the state impossible.
The rift between Wike and Fubara had been followed by the defection of 27 of 32 members of the Assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
There was also a wave of resignation from Rivers State’s executive council in December 2023 due to the political impasse between both leaders.
Earlier, legislators believed to be loyal to Wike had initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara, which failed.
In turn, the governor presented the state’s N800 billion 2024 budget to only five House of Assembly members who appeared loyal to him. The members signed the bill, which the governor signed into law.
However, the Federal High Court nullified the process in January 2024.
President Bola Tinubu waded into the crisis twice, but the feud between Wike and his successor appears to linger.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.