They Act Like Children – Fubara’s Aide Knocks Pro-Wike Rivers Lawmakers for Overriding Governor

The Special Assistant on Electronic Media to Governor Siminialayi Fubara has dismissed the actions of a faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike as insignificant, labelling them a “committee of friends.”

POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the assembly led by factional Speaker Martin Amaewhule overrode assent on three bills.

The bills in question—the Rivers State Education (Return of Schools) (Amendment) Bill, Rivers Electricity Market Bill, and Rivers State Commissions of Inquiry Bill, 2024—were passed by the House a month ago and sent to the governor for assent. However, after Governor Fubara refused to approve the bills, the factional Assembly announced that it had used its constitutional power under Section 100(5) of the 1999 Constitution to overturn his decision.

Meanwhile, Omatsogunwa accused the legislators of acting against the state’s interests and questioned the enforcement of their decision.

“This is not the first time they are overruling something, but I wonder who will enforce those overrulings in the end,” he said.

The aide drew parallels with the Muhammadu Buhari administration, recalling how the National Assembly did not overrule the president’s veto on the electoral bill.

He said, “I remember during the Muhammadu Buhari administration when he rejected the electoral bill twice, the National Assembly didn’t overrule him.

“They (National Assembly) went and did the right thing. So the earlier Martin Amaewhule and his committee of friends realise that Rivers people no longer take them seriously—and the earlier they know that they cannot make a U-turn or change the position of the goalpost while the game is on—the better for them.”

“For me, they are just like little children shaking the coconut tree. They think they are shaking the tree, but they end up shaking their own heads.

“They are not working for the Rivers people. I also see them as working against the Rivers people.”

Amaewhule had defended the Assembly’s actions, accusing Governor Fubara of obstructing progress through “indolence and ineptitude.” Amaewhule emphasized the Assembly’s commitment to moving the state forward, stating that the House remains committed to upholding the Constitution and democratic principles.

This is not the first time the Assembly has clashed with Governor Fubara. The lawmakers previously overrode the governor’s veto on several bills, including the Rivers State Funds Management and Financial Autonomy Law 2023, the Rivers State Local Government Amendment Law 2023, the Traditional Rulers Law 2024, and the Rivers State Advertisement and Use of State Owned Property Prohibition Repeal Law 2024.