The Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Martins Amaewhule may have bitten more than he can chew for his stance in the ongoing Rivers political crisis.
The Trumpet learnt that the Speaker’s constituents in Obio/Akpor have through one Kenneth Amadi, a lawyer written to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to commence recall proceedings against the Speaker.
The Speaker has remained a portent tool in the hands of the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike in his long drawn battle against Governor Sim Fubara since both political actors fell apart in their political journey.
Amaewhule’s activities amidst the political crisis may have forced his constituents to commence his recall process from the state assembly.
It was gathered that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC office in Port Harcourt is in receipt of a letter dated 7th March, 2025, and addressed to the Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC, Rivers State, and titled, ‘Pre-Action Notice: Request made pursuant to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, and Freedom of Information Act, 2011, for a certified true copy of the verified voter register for Obio/Akpor Federal/State Constituency, Rivers State as preliminary steps towards the recall of Martins Amaewhule, the legislator representing Obio/Akpor State Constituency at the Rivers State House of Assembly’.
A stamp on the acknowledgement copy of the letter showed that it was received by the INEC office on 11th March, 2025.
According to the author of the letter, he explained that he is the lawyer to several indigenes of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Amaewhule’s constituency.
He further explained that the request is in accordance with the FOI Act, 2011, and sections 69 and 110 of the 1999 Constitution, as well as Section 116 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) which empowers INEC to conduct recall proceedings against a member of the National Assembly or State Assembly, or Area Council of the FCT, “upon the receipt of a valid petition alleging a loss of confidence in the member by more than 50% of voters registered to vote in that member’s constituency”.
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The letter reads in part, “I write in my capacity as a lawyer to several indigenes of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State who are desirous of initiating a recall of Martins Amaewhule for the following reasons:
“Defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress in December 2023.
“Failure to provide effective representation for the majority of the public interests of constituents, instead focusing on his own personal interests and the interests of his political godfather.
“Consistent involvement in undemocratic, illegal and violent impeachment activities since the year 2013 when he moved the motion for impeachment of a duly and legally appointed Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“Disobedience to the judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered on 28th February 2025 which directed all parties to await the final determination of the legal status of Amaewhule and 26 other law-makers of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected in December 2023.
“Illegal usurpation of the duties of His Excellency, Governor of Rivers State by amendment of certain laws of Rivers State to confer upon himself the powers to extend the tenure of Chairmen of the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Rivers State and appointment of Commissioners of the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission (just to mention a few).
“Failure to fulfill his campaign promises to build agriculture and aquaculture farms for youths of Obio/Akpor State constituency, just to mention a few.
“Failure to publish and comply with a legislative agenda of the Rivers State House of Assembly as is the legislative practice of the National Assembly.”
The letter added that if the requested CTC of the voter register is not made available within seven days, the constituents will take legal action to enforce their legal rights.
According to Amadi, Amaewhule has serially violated court orders since he was restored as the speaker of the Assembly.
The lawyer added that the business of lawmaking had come to a standstill, as the Amaewhule-led Assembly is only interested in fighting the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC.
“In the days immediately after the Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment of 28th February 2025, Amaewhule has issued several ultimatums against the Chairman of RSIEC and more recently a bench warrant for the arrest of the chairman and commissioners of the RSIEC.
“This is in spite of a valid injunction of a High Court of Rivers State that prevents Amaewhule and the Rivers State House of Assembly from doing anything against the said Chairman of the RSIEC pending the hearing of the ongoing lawsuit that the said chairman of the RSIEC filed against Amaewhule and his 26 lawmakers,” he said.
He added that the “uncommon and exuberant zeal that Amaewhule and his 26 lawmakers are expending upon the RISEC alone since their resumption since after 28th February 2025 raises a lot of suspicion and worry”.
“This is because it appears that the entire business of lawmaking of the Rivers State House of Assembly has come to a standstill, there is no mention of any other activities such as Bills that undergo first or second reading, there is no mention of constituency projects or visits to constituencies, and certainly no mention of oversight functions.
“The only activity that we hear and read about as the function of the Rivers State House of Assembly is ultimatums and bench warrant for the arrest of the Chairman and Commissioners of the RISEC,” he further observed.
