By Chijioke Kingsley
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Lawmakers loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara on Wednesday elected Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
This development came barely 48 hours after Governor Fubara declared as non-existent the 27 majority members of the House who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The opposition APC has also, in the last 48 hours, instructed its members at the state parliament, who are now the majority, to impeach the governor.
Baring that in mind, some lawmakers, according to a source, converged on Wednesday and elected Jumbo, a ranking member representing Bonny Constituency, as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Oko becomes the third Speaker under the current administration after Edison Ehie and Martin Amaewhule.
The Wednesday arrangements, which produced Jumbo as Speaker, also saw Hon. Sokari Goodboy emerge as the Majority Leader of the Assembly.
Addressing the press after taking the oath of office, the new Speaker said: “We will brief the press, communicate our proceedings to the public and engage them. We’ll make sure they’re part of what we’re doing to ensure that there’s transparency and clarity in the legislative assembly.
“Well, I have already directed the clerk to notify His Excellency the Governor that a new leadership has emerged in the Rivers State House of Assembly and that we are ready to work for the Rivers people.”
