In a new twist to the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, a legal move has been initiated to recall the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule.
A lawyer, Kenneth Amadi, has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), seeking to commence the process of recalling the embattled Speaker.
The political tension in the state stems from the rift between Governor Sim Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who currently serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The crisis escalated after Amaewhule and 26 other pro-Wike lawmakers defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In response, lawmakers loyal to Fubara declared their seats vacant, leading the governor to work with a three-member faction led by Victor Oko-Jumbo.
Fubara subsequently presented the 2025 budget to the Oko-Jumbo-led Assembly, which also confirmed commissioner nominees and other appointments.
However, in a dramatic turn, Amaewhule and his allies renounced their defection, and on February 28, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled in their favor, ordering them to resume legislative duties.
The court also directed Fubara to present the state budget to the Assembly under Amaewhule’s leadership.
Despite this ruling, a recall process has now been set in motion against the Speaker.
A letter obtained on March 12, 2025, indicated that proceedings have begun to remove Amaewhule from his position.
The document, dated March 7, 2025, was addressed to the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Rivers State.
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,” the letter was acknowledged by INEC on March 11, 2025.
Amadi, representing several constituents from Obio/Akpor, stated in the letter that his request aligns with the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act of 2011, sections 69 and 110 of the 1999 Constitution, and Section 116 of the Electoral Act of 2010 (as amended), which allows INEC to conduct a recall if more than 50% of registered voters in a constituency lose confidence in their representative.
“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.”
Amadi warned that legal action would be taken if INEC fails to provide the requested voter register within seven days.
He further accused Amaewhule of disregarding court orders, stating, “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.”
Amadi expressed concern over the Speaker’s priorities since his reinstatement.
“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.”
Meanwhile, the political crisis in Rivers deepened further on March 12, 2025, as Governor Fubara was prevented from accessing the Assembly complex to present the 2025 budget, as directed by the Supreme Court.
Despite notifying the Speaker of his intention to appear before the House on March 12, the gates of the Assembly were locked when Fubara and his team arrived, forcing him to leave without presenting the budget.
Reacting to the incident, Fubara accused Amaewhule of deliberately avoiding him. “I called Amaewhule severally but the Speaker refused to answer,” the governor lamented.
