The Rivers State House of Assembly has refuted claims by Edison Ehie, a Fubara loyalist, that he resigned as Speaker, clarifying that Ehie was never elected as Speaker.
The Clerk of the Assembly, Emeka Amadi, issued the clarification in reaction to Ehie’s resignation letter as Speaker. The resignation was purportedly aimed at easing tensions between Fubara and the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Following the political turmoil, 26 Assembly members, initially elected under the PDP, defected to the APC, triggering a declaration of their seats as vacant by Ehie.
The Clerk gave the notice in reaction to a letter dated 29 December 2023, written and signed by Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie DSSRS – member representing Ahoada East Constituency II in the Rivers State of Assembly wherein he claimed to have resigned from the position of the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, an office he never occupied.
The notice reads, “The attention of the Rivers State House of Assembly has been drawn to a letter dated 29 December, 2023, addressed to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and circulating in the media.
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It was purportedly written and signed by Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, DSSRS, a member representing Ahoada East Constituency II in the Rivers State Assembly, wherein he claimed to have resigned from the position of Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, an office he never occupied.
“I am therefore directed to call on the good people of Rivers State to disregard the false claim in this letter that is intended to mislead the unsuspecting public. Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie DSSRS was never, at any time in the life of the Rivers State House of Assembly, elected Speaker.”
Amidst the discord, the Assembly grapples with a divided loyalty, as 26 members align with Wike, while Ehie and three others remain faithful to Fubara.