Rivers Crisis: Pro-Wike Lawmakers Repeal Commission of Inquiry Law 1999, Reason Emerges

• The 27-state assembly lawmakers loyal to FCT minister Nyesom Wike in Rivers state House of Assembly have passed the bill to replace the 1999 Commission of Inquiry Law
• In a statement issued on Wednesday, Speaker Martins Amaewhule expressed his satisfaction with the passage of the Bill and noted that it is in the interest of the Rivers people
• Amid Wike and Fubara's political battle, Amaewhule reiterated his Assembly's commitment to amending or repealing obsolete laws that no longer serve the interests of the people, ensuring governance remains progressive

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Rivers state, Port Harcourt - On Wednesday, November 27, the Speaker Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly in Rivers state passed the bill to repeal the Commission of Inquiry Law 1999.

The lawmakers in a statement signed by Amaewhule’s special assistant on media, Martins Wachukwu, said the bill was passed in their efforts “to pull Rivers State from the nadir of legislative anachronism and place it on the pedestal of legislative contemporariness.”

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Meanwhile, Amaewhule-led House of Assembly members are close allies of Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Wike and Rivers governor, his successor, Siminalayi Fubara, are in a long battle over the control of Rivers state.

The Bill to replace 1999 Commission of Inquiry Law

The statement released in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Wednesday, said the lawmakers passed the Rivers State Commissions of Inquiry Bill, 2024 to replace the old law.

As reported by The Nation, it said the re-enacted Rivers State Commissions of Inquiry Law when it eventually becomes law would guide the holding of commissions of inquiry and for other related matters.

Debating on the report presented by Sylvanus Nwankwo, members lauded the committee for a job well done.

They stressed that the response of members of the public to the public hearing spoke volumes on the acceptability of the bill and urged the House to pass the bill into law.

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Speaking on the development, Amaewhule commended the committee and lawmakers for their robust debate on the report and the bill.

Amaewhule said that as a progressive Assembly, the lawmakers would continue to amend or repeal and re-enact obsolete and anachronistic laws that no longer served the interest of Rivers people.

Read more about Rivers crisis here:

• Rivers LG election: Appeal court overturns Federal High Court's judgement, details emerge
• Rivers crisis: LP gets court backing to play defection clip of pro-Wike lawmakers
• Wike vs Fubara: INEC breaks silence on Rivers Assembly crisis

APC warns Fubara against blackmailing Tinubu, Wike

In another development, Legit.ng reported that the APC reacted to the recent judgment stopping allocation to Rivers state.

APC said it would stand by the court's judgment according to “Sections 120, 121, and 122" of the constitution.

The APC chairman in Rivers state, Sir Tony Okocha, said the political crisis rocking the state was between Governor Sim Fubara and Nyesom Wike.

Source: Legit.ng