The former Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Leyii Kwanee, has called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara to adhere to constitutional provisions to resolve the ongoing political crisis in the state.
In a statement made on Tuesday amidst the chaos surrounding the local government chairmen’s tenure extension, Rt. Hon. Kwanee, who served as the acting Speaker in the state’s 7th Assembly, criticized the former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, and 26 other lawmakers for hastily enacting Law No. 2 of 2024.
“I have watched with keen interest the avoidable escalation of political crisis that has rocked our dear state for almost one year now, particularly the unfortunate uproar caused by the so-called tenure elongation for the outgoing council chairmen,” Kwanee remarked.
He emphasized the supremacy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s constitution, stating, “The constitution, as amended in 1999, is superior to any law made at a lower level of government. Section 7(1) stipulates the system of local government by democratically elected councils, which means there is an end to their tenure.”
Kwanee condemned Law No. 2 of 2024, passed by the 27 ousted lawmakers, as unconstitutional. “Those who enacted this law for tenure extension by six months were not legitimate lawmakers, as their seats had been declared vacant by a competent court. This law was a deliberate ploy to cause tension in Rivers State.”
He praised Governor Fubara for his composure amid the attacks on his administration and urged state leaders and elders to vehemently oppose the escalating crisis. “It is crucial for the development and peace of Rivers State that those responsible for this turmoil reconsider their actions,” he concluded.
