December 16, (THEWILL) – The Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Phillip Agbese, has given reasons why the National Assembly has not intervened in the ongoing crisis in Rivers State House of Assembly.
THEWILL reports that the Rivers State House of Assembly has been enmeshed in crisis fueled by the political feud between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the immediate-past governor of the State, Nyesom Wike.
Fubara, the political godson of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, has literally parted ways with the former governor in what has been described as the battle for the soul of the oil-rich state.
Earlier in the week, 25 lawmakers believed to be loyalists of Wike defected to the All Progressives Congress, and Fubara, who appears ready to damn the consequences, wasted no time in demolishing the State House of Assembly Complex, a move seen as a masterstroke to nullify whatever decisions the lawmakers are likely to take against him.
Things have since moved very fast with ten commissioners resigning their positions from the Fubara-led Rivers State Executive Council.
The tension in Rivers State has led to suggestions of possible intervention by the National Assembly to restore order by taking over the role of the State lawmakers until the return of normalcy in line with the provision of Section 11 (4) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Subsection (4) provides, “At any time when any House of Assembly of a state is unable to perform its functions because of the situation prevailing in that State, the National Assembly may make such laws for the peace, order and good government of that state concerning matters on which a House of Assembly may make laws as may appear.”
Subsection (5) reads, “For the purposes of subsection (4) of this section, a House of Assembly shall not be deemed to be unable to perform its functions as long as the House of Assembly can hold a meeting and transact business.”
The Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Phillip Agbese, said the ongoing political turbulence in Rivers State had yet to be tabled before the Green Chamber, noting that until that was done, there could be little or no intervention in the interim.
“It is true that there is a constitutional backing for the National Assembly to intervene where there are established instances of crisis in a state House of Assembly that is unable to perform its functions.
“The 10th House has not been notified of any crisis. If it is not formally aware, there is nothing much we can do by way of intervention in the crisis, but it is our wish that the matter will be resolved amicably so that Rivers lawmakers can go about the business they were elected to do by their people. This is all I can say for now,” said Agbese.
