Rivers Assembly Overrides Fubara, Enacts Service Commission Law

The Rivers State House of Assembly has ruled against Governor Siminalayi Fubara to enact the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) Service Commission Law.

The House of Assembly had convened an unscheduled sitting on Friday during which they observed that more than the constitutionally required 30 days had elapsed since they sent the notice of the amendment to the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission law to the governor for his assent.

This makes it the second time the Rivers State House of Assembly will override the governor to pass a law this year.

In January, the lawmakers voted to override the governor and pass four bills into law.

This was after the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, read four letters addressed to him by the governor wherein he declined his assent to the four new bills which had been sent to him for assent.

The House had relied on Section 100, Subsection 5, to say that the assent of the governor was not required for the passage into law of the said bills.

The section stated that “where the Governor withholds assent and the bill is again passed by two-thirds majority, the bill shall become a law and the assent of the Governor shall not be required”.