The Rivers State House of Assembly, under the leadership of Rt Hon. Martin Amaewhule, took a decisive step on Friday by passing the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission (Amendment) Bill into law, despite Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s failure to assent to the bill.
Having initially passed the Assembly Service Commission (Amendment) Bill on February 15, 2024, and forwarded it to Governor Fubara for assent, the lawmakers grew impatient with the delay in the governor’s response. Consequently, they took matters into their own hands and passed the bill into law during the 125th legislative sitting.
The Majority Leader, Major Jack, reintroduced the bill for debate, which was then passed into law by Speaker Martin Amaewhule. Citing Section 100(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, Amaewhule justified the House’s authority to override the governor’s veto.
With unanimous approval from the 24 members present at the sitting, the House demonstrated its resolve to assert its legislative power.
Amaewhule emphasized that the amendment to the House of Assembly Service Commission Law simply restored the House’s authority in appointing the Chairman and members of the Assembly Service Commission. He underscored the amendment’s benefits for the staff of the Rivers State House of Assembly and expressed bewilderment at the governor’s refusal to assent to the bill.
Reaffirming the House’s dedication to strengthening institutions in the State, the Speaker declared that “with the passage, the Bill has now assumed the garb of law by virtue of section 100(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as altered.”
In addition, the House initiated the first reading of the Rivers State Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill, 2024, sponsored by Hon. Lemchi Nyeche, aimed at amending the Rivers State Public Procurement (Amendment) Law No. 1 of 2021 and addressing related matters.
This bold action by the Rivers State House of Assembly underscores its commitment to upholding legislative prerogatives and enacting laws deemed beneficial to the state’s governance and institutional framework.