Politics
Edison Ehie: Clearing The Doubts
I read with rapt attention an article on page 17 of The Tide Newspaper of 25th March, 2024, captioned: ‘”Can Rivers Assembly Remove Governor’s Powers To Appoint Executive Officers?” written by no less a personality than one of Rivers State’s renowned lawmakers, politician and youth leader, Rt. Hon. Edison Ogaranya Ehie who is also the Chief of Staff, Rivers State Government House.
I am sure that the teeming supporters of the present administration, as well as members of the Simplified family in the 23 local government areas of the State including me, heaved a sigh of relief when the Chief of Staff used his legal expertise as a lawyer and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to explain through points of law, and citing precedence, the powers of the governor to appoint executive officers.
He did this to let the unsuspecting public know that the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers were simply doing the bidding of their paymaster(s) without reason when they attempted to strip the governor of his constitutional powers, leading to the heating up of political tension in the state.
Evidently, their aim was to distract the present administration. It was, therefore, cheering that this matter, which gained a lot of traction, was finally put to rest. Now, we know and I say a big thank you to the Chief of Staff.
Be that as it may, there are yet a couple of concerns troubling the minds of well-meaning Rivers people. Among the many unsettling questions that have welled up in most discerning minds are:
1. Why heat up the political atmosphere of a state you were given mandate by your constituents to lead for your paymaster(s) selfish reasons?
2. Is it not fool hardy for any responsible person to put his one and only state on fire?
Recall that until the macabre dance of these lawmakers, they were useful. The question then is what went wrong?
It has become crystal clear that with Rt Hon. Edison Ehie’s treatise that Governor Sim Fubara is God sent to unite this State, a detribalised and 21st century leader with peaceful deposition who operates within the Constitution and the rule of law in tandem with civilised realities.
The truth must be told that no governor with executive powers like Sim Fubara in Nigeria and elsewhere can tolerate the shenanigans being perpetrated by the pro-Wike lawmakers led by Rt. Hon. Martin Amaehule in Rivers State. It is a show of shame to even imagine that this set of lawmakers are bereft of the legal implications of their blunder in their inordinate quest to satisfy their godfather.
Though I stand to be corrected, I dare say that many of our lawmakers are lawyers. The question that arises then is: how come, were they not able to align their actions on this matter with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?
According to the submission of Rt Hon. Ehie, what the Rivers State House of Assembly, on Thursday, 15th February, 2024, did at its 109th legislative sitting, viz; the law passed concerning the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024, was after all a nullity.
It would be recalled that the embattled lawmakers had earlier amended the law and sent to His Excellency, Sir Sim Fubara, for his assent. However, because the governor withheld his assent, the House decided to re-pass the bill into law after 30 days, on 22nd March, 2024.
Of course, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie supported his assertion by quoting relevant laws, cases and authorities to answer the burning matter and prove that the action by the pro-Wike lawmakers lacked the powers, legal and otherwise, to remove the power of appointment of the Chairman and members of the Rivers State of Assembly Service Commission from the Governor and vest same on themselves.
Contending that the provision in the Rivers State House of Assembly (Amendment) Law 2024 seeking to vest the power of appointment on the House of Assembly is in clear contravention of the 1999 Constitution and therefore a nullity in the eyes of the law.
This singular clarification by the Chief of Staff, Government House, makes me describe him as a round peg in a round hole. Rivers people and the teeming supporters of His Excellency through this publication of 25th March, 2024 now have a clearer and proper knowledge of the matter and affirm also from the case of Lord Denning that “if an act is void, then, it is a nullity. It is not only bad but incurably bad. There is no order of Court to set it aside. It is automatically null and void without much ado”. You cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stay there, it will collapse.
Rivers people cannot be deceived any longer on this matter. Up or down, victory is assured for the administration of Sir Sim Fubara. He is the leader we need to take us to the next level and no amount of intimidation can deter him from building on the foundation laid by the founding fathers of our great Rivers State. No one man can be God to our people but the Almighty God alone will be our God forever, as far as our State is concerned.
Odinaka Osundu
Osundu, a media professional, writes from Port Harcourt.
The lawmaker representing Ethiope East/West Federal Constituency of Delta State, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, has said that her defection to All Progressives Congress (APC) complied with the relevant sections of the constitution, hence there was no need for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to declare her seat vacant.
This is just as she filed an affidavit to support her originating summon, listing her reasons for dumping the PDP for the APC.
Deposing the affidavit at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja recently, the lawmaker listed the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Clerk of the House and PDP as defendants.
She said her purpose for leaving the 3rd defendant was as a result of protracted crises in the party.
Ibori-Suenu said: “For over a year, the 3rd defendant has been enmeshed in a series of unresolved leadership crises at the national, which crisis has driven the party into two implacable camps.
“The 3rd defendant (PDP) started grappling with the internal strife before the 2023 presidential election, particularly after the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, primaries conducted for the election of the party’s presidential candidate.
“Upon the selection of the party’s vice presidential candidate for the presidential election in 2023, the internal disputes in the political party deepened resulting in division amongst the National Working Committee and creation of the (G-5). That is, Nyesom Wike, Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Seyi Makinde and Okezie Ikpeazu (then governors of Rivers, Benue, Enugu State, Oyo and Abia states, respectively).
“Following the decision of a High Court which restrained lyorchia Ayu from acting as the party’s national chairman, an Acting National Chairman was appointed for the party.
“But his appointment generated massive discontent, which further divided the party at the national level.
“However, the division in the national leadership lingered due to the continued stay of the Acting National Chairman of the Party and the inability of the party to convene a meeting of its National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting for consideration of a replacement for the substantive National Chairman of the Party in compliance with Article 45(2) and 47(6) of the PDP Constitution (amended in 2017).
“Attached and marked Exhibit IB 2 is the PDP Constitution (amended in 2017).10. On October I1, 2024, the 3rd Defendant’s National Working Committee was embroiled in series of suspension and counter-suspensions amongst the members of the National Working Committee of the party.
“PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, announced on behalf of a faction of the National Working Committee that the Acting National Chairman, Iliya Umar Damagum and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, were suspended with the National chairman being replaced by Alhaji
The National Leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Governor of Anambra State, Prof Charles Soludo, has urged members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party to end the Supreme Court victory celebrations and focus on work in their respective states and localities.
The National Leader made this statement over the weekend in Abuja during the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting to mark the end of the fiscal year 2024.
Gov. Soludo also extended a hand of fellowship to Nigerians, inviting them to join APGA, which he described as “the most progressive party in Nigeria at the moment.”
Gov. Soludo said, “We want to unite all aggrieved members of the party for progress and the new Nigeria we all desire. I want to tell you that the Supreme Court victory is over and remains a call for unity.”
He expressed joy over the appointment of Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu as a cabinet member in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“Under this administration, a member of our party is appointed a minister, and the President moves outside APC. We shall grow from strength to strength because APGA is built to last,” he stated.
Reflecting on his administration in Anambra State, Gov. Soludo highlighted efforts to leave behind a lasting legacy, including a free education policy and significant infrastructural development, which he described as “promises kept to walk the talk.”
The National Chairman of the party, Barrister Sly Ezeokenwa, while welcoming delegates from across the country, expressed optimism about the party’s future following years of struggle for survival and a protracted court case that recently ended at the Supreme Court.
While chronicling APGA’s journey, its founding dreams, and its role as a political voice for the South-East, Ezeokenwa noted that despite recent internal challenges orchestrated by “political merchants,” the party had grown from a regional movement to a national entity.
He acknowledged Gov. Soludo’s pivotal role during the party’s legal battles, describing the governor as an invaluable asset throughout APGA’s struggles.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has overruled the expulsion of Ikenga Ugochinyere by the Imo State chapter of the party.
On Saturday, Imo PDP announced the expulsion of Ugochinyere, the lawmaker representing the Ideato Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, from the party.
The state’s party chapter said the legislator was expelled over alleged misconduct and anti-party activities.
However, a few hours later, the party’s NWC described Ugochinyere’s expulsion as “null and void and of no effect”.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, the party said the move by its chapter in Imo was not “consistent with the express provision of Sections 57 (7) and 59 (3) of the constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) and laid down rules of our great party”.
“Section 57 (7) of the Constitution of the PDP is clear in providing that “Notwithstanding any other provision relating to discipline, no executive committee at any level, except the National Executive Committee, shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, deputy governors, or members of the National Assembly,” the statement read.
“Also, Section 59 (3) of the Constitution of the PDP is unambiguous in providing that “Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution relating to discipline, no Executive Committee at any level except the National Executive Committee shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Ministers, Ambassadors, Special Advisers, or member of any of the Legislative Houses.
“It is therefore clear that no ward, local government, or even state chapter of the party has the power to suspend, expel, or discipline a member of the National Assembly in any form whatsoever without due recourse to the National Working Committee as provided by the Constitution of the PDP”, it added.
The PDP NWC added that Hon Ugochinyere remains a party member with all rights, privileges, recognition, and obligations.
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