Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker Edison Formally Requests INEC to Conduct Bye-Elections Following Declaration of Vacancies

Edison Ehie, the Speaker of the Edison faction in the Rivers State House of Assembly, has formally requested the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organize bye-elections to fill the vacant seats left by 25 lawmakers.

Edie, who leads a group of legislators aligned with Governor Sim Fubara, successfully passed a resolution on Wednesday, declaring the seats of lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as vacant.

Following this resolution, Ehie promptly communicated the decision to INEC through a letter dated December 14, 2023, titled “Notice of Vacancies in the Rivers State House of Assembly and Request for Conduct of Fresh Elections in the 25 State Constituencies in the Rivers State House of Assembly.”

The letter included a comprehensive list of the 25 lawmakers and their respective constituencies, as claimed by Edie.

In a bold move, Edie has also instructed the Accountant General of the State to suspend the payment of salaries and emoluments to the former lawmakers, adding a significant dimension to the ongoing political developments in Rivers State.