Rivers crisis rages on, as Assembly overrides Fubara, passes four new bills into law

Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt

The crisis rocking Rivers State may not be over yet despite the supreme court judgement which affirmed Siminalayi Fubara as the governor of the state.

This is just as the Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday, during plenary at the Assembly Quarters, voted to override the Governor by passing four new bills into law.

The lawmakers took the decision after the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, read four letters from the governor, which he declined to assent to the four new bills previously sent to him.

The House, citing Section 100 subsection 5 of the Constitution, asserted that the governor’s assent is not required for these bills to become law.

The section states that “where the Governor withholds assent and the bill is again passed by a two-thirds majority, the bill shall become law and the assent of the Governor shall not be required.”

The four laws passed by the House include: The Rivers Local Government Amendment Law; The Rivers State Traditional Rulers Amendment Law; The Rivers State Advertisement and Use of State-Owned Property Prohibition Repeal Law; and The Rivers State Funds Management and Financial Autonomy Law.

The Speaker also criticized the governor for his lack of plans to conduct local government elections in the state.

He stated, “By the reasons given by the Governor, it means he doesn’t plan to conduct local government elections in the state,” adding that “the key thing here is that this law removes the power of the Governor to appoint Caretaker Committee Chairmen for the Local Governments. The Governor is not happy that we’re removing his powers to appoint caretaker chairmen.”