*Constitutional Lawyer, Professor Wokocha warns of legal implications of foisting 27 Lawmakers on the State
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
A Professor of Law and Constitutional Lawyer, Richard Wokocha, has cautioned that in eyes of the law,the resignation of Edison Ehie factional Speaker loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara as.a member of Rivers Assembly does not in anyway conferred legitimacy or foist the illegality of the Martin Amaewhule Lawmakers on the State.
At a live radio programme in Nigeria Info fm Port Harcourt monitored by our Correspondent, Professor Richard Wokocha,who is also a Lecturer at the Rivers State University said the resignation of Edison Ehie as member of the Rivers State House of Assembly does not change the status quo of the House.
Wokocha, a Lecturer at the Department of Public Law in Rivers State University said ” The resignation of Edison Ehie leaves only three members of the House and does no confer legitimacy on the 27 members led by Martin Amaewhule who have defected to All Progressives Congress, APC.”.
He pointed out that it is the responsibility of the rest three members of the House to pick their new Speaker or Leader whenever they meet as provided in the constitution.
“Legally,it is now a three-member House of Assembly with 28 people haven resigned. It is now the responsibility on them to pick the leadership when they meet. Apparently, it points to the direction that they about foist the illegality on the State. That will raise questions on the validity of action that House (27 members) take for the State”.
Professor Wokocha further said the resignation of Edison Ehie will give room for foisting the illegal resolutions by the rest 27 Lawmakers on the State.
Also speaking in the radio programme, another human rights lawyer,Charles Jaja said the resignation of Edison Ehie.as member representing Ahoada East Constituency 2 from the Rivers State House of Assembly will make Governor Siminalayi Fubara vulnerable to those who do not mean well for the State.
Also, it will be recalled that another Human Rights Lawyer, Courage Nsirimovu, criticized the Abuja peace agreement as unlawful and unconstitutional. He said it amounts to handing over the governance of the State to Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory without regards to the aspirations of Rivers people.
Our Correspondent reports that despite the resignation of Edison Ehie as member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, he was among prominent personalities who accompanied Governor Fubara to Crossover service at the St Paul’s Anglican Archdeaconery Parish Opobo Opobo Nkoro local government area of Rivers State.
Edison Ehie had in a resignation letter dated 27 December addressed to the Independent National Electoral Commission said he no longer a member of Rivers State House of Assembly representing the Ahoada East Constituency 2.