Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, rivers State has appointed the immediate-past Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, as his new Chief of Staff.
Ehie, who is a strong ally of Fubara, replaces the Chief of Staff, Hon. Chidi Amadi, who is a kinsman to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike. Ehie, recognized by an order of the Rivers State High Court, was loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The immediate-past speaker had on Sunday night resigned his position as both Speaker and member representing Ahoada-East Constituency 2 in the Rivers State House of Assembly, sparking questions about his political move.
Recall that the resolution signed by parties during the peace meeting held at the instance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu included the recognition of Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule as Speaker of the House. However, there was no clause mandating Ehie to vacate his seat as a member of the House.
Facts have emerged as to the resignation of Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
According to LEADERSHIP it is observed that the resignation of the factional speaker was never part of the resolutions reached during a peace parley on the Rivers State political crisis, presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja in December 2023.
Sources, however, hinted that Ehie resigned his position to allegedly create a vacuum in the House in order to accommodate some of the resolutions of the Abuja peace pact.
Feelers also suggest that the decision was to allegedly pave way for his appointment as the Chief of Staff to the Governor, even though the current Chief of Staff, Hon. Chidi Amadi, is yet to resign his appointment.
Another reason adduced to Ehie’s resignation was to allow the National Assembly to take over the Rivers State House of Assembly since the House has only five members following the declaration of the seats of 25 members vacant after their defection from PDP to APC.