Rivers Speaker Oko-Jumbo Urges INEC to Conduct Bye-Election Following Defection of Pro-Wike Lawmakers

The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Victor Oko-Jumbo, has renewed his demand for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a bye-election to fill the seats of 27 lawmakers who previously aligned with former Governor Nyesom Wike. Oko-Jumbo argues that recent legal developments have cleared the path for INEC to act.

Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, Oko-Jumbo highlighted that the 27 Assembly members, led by Martin Amaewhule, effectively vacated their seats when they announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on December 11, 2023. He emphasized that their seats are now open and must be filled through a bye-election.

“This call has become pertinent,” Oko-Jumbo stated, “as the legal roadblock that previously prevented INEC from proceeding with a bye-election has been removed.” He further asserted that the lawmakers’ defection was “without any justifiable cause,” leading to their automatic disqualification from their seats under legislative norms.

Oko-Jumbo explained that Amaewhule and his colleagues filed Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1681/2023 on December 13, 2023, obtaining an interlocutory injunction that blocked INEC from organizing the bye-election. However, Oko-Jumbo criticized the group for allegedly using the suit as a delay tactic, saying they failed to advance the case at the Federal High Court in Abuja after securing the injunction.

The Speaker revealed that on October 30, 2024, Amaewhule and the other lawmakers formally withdrew their suit, which led to the case’s dismissal and effectively nullified the injunction.

“The only obstacle preventing INEC from conducting the bye-election was the injunction associated with Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1681/2023,” Oko-Jumbo clarified. “With the case now struck out, INEC is free to proceed.”

Oko-Jumbo, aligning with Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration, concluded by urging INEC to “immediately organize a bye-election to fill the 27 vacant seats” and restore full representation for the affected constituencies in the Rivers State House of Assembly.