The Rivers State House of Assembly members loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, said it had written to the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct elections to fill the vacant seats in the state legislature.
Recall that five months into his administration, Governor Fubara fell out of favour with his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Their disagreement was said to have stemmed from some misunderstanding between the governor and the FCT minister.
Feeling slighted, Fubara started avoiding Wike and soon afterwards, both leaders were no longer seen together attending important state functions.
There were unconfirmed reports that there were also disagreements concerning the state finances.
In October 2023, there were moves by members of the State House of Assembly to change its leadership, which led to the attempt by 27 lawmakers loyal to the FCT minister to impeach the governor.
This move was led by the factional Speaker, Martin Amaewhule.
Preceding the failed impeachment attempt was the bombing of the state House of Assembly on October 31st, 2023.
Following the planned impeachment, the Amaewhule-led 27 lawmakers announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress during a sitting at a section of the bombed complex.
Subsequent to the development, one of the four lawmakers loyal to the governor, Edison Ehie, at a news briefing, said 25 of his colleagues elected him as the new Speaker.
Ehie thereafter announced the suspension of some members, and during plenary at the Government House in Port Harcourt, he, as the factional Speaker, declared the seats of the 27 defected lawmakers vacant.
Punch