Pro-Fubara Rivers assembly speaker resigns as lawmaker

Edison Ehie, speaker of the Rivers house of assembly, has resigned as a member of the legislative chamber.

Ehie, who represented Ahoada east constituency II announced his resignation from the house in a letter addressed to the national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), dated December 29.

“This is to formally notify you of my voluntary resignation as  Speaker and Member of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly representing Ahoada East Constituency II with effect from the date of this letter,” the letter reads.

“I wish to appreciate my colleagues and the people of my constituency for the rare opportunity to serve and hope to continue to give my utmost best in service to Rivers State subsequently.”

The former speaker did not give any reason for his action.

However, his resignation is believed to be a fallout of the political crisis between the governor and Nyesom Wike, the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).

In October, Ehie was elected speaker of the Rivers assembly, after a faction of the house removed him as house leader, as the plot to impeach SiminalayiFubara, the governor, intensified at the time.

Fubara went on his social media page to congratulate Ehie as the new speaker.

“Congratulations Mr. Speaker,” Fubara wrote on X. 

Earlier in December, a high court in Port Harcourt, the Rivers capital, issued an interim order restraining lawmakers in the assembly from removing Ehie as the speaker.

Martin Amaewhule, factional speaker of the assembly and Dumle Maol, factional deputy speaker, are the defendants in the suit marked PHC/3030/CS/2023.