Rivers: Why Pro-fubara Speaker Resigned, Vacated Seat

New details have emerged surrounding the resignation of Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie from his position as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Ehie, who was recognized by a Rivers State High Court order, had been loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

In a statement released in Port Harcourt on Sunday evening, the lawmaker, representing Ahoada-East Constituency 2, not only stepped down as the Speaker but also vacated his seat as a member of the House.

Interestingly, the resignation of the factional speaker was not part of the resolutions made during a peace parley on the Rivers State political crisis in December 2023. This peace parley was presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja.

Sources, however, suggest that Ehie’s resignation might be a strategic move to create a vacuum in the House, potentially to align with some of the resolutions reached in the Abuja peace pact. There are also speculations that this decision could be a precursor to his appointment as the Chief of Staff to the Governor. It’s worth noting that the current Chief of Staff, Hon. Chidi Amadi, has not resigned from his position.

Additionally, some observers propose that Ehie’s resignation may be a tactical maneuver to allow the National Assembly to take control of the Rivers State House of Assembly. This speculation arises from the fact that the House now only has five members following the declaration of the seats of 25 members as vacant, subsequent to their defection from the PDP to the APC.