The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has come out to say, it will not conduct a bye-election into the Ahoada East Constituency Two, because the seat is presently occupied by Rt. Honourable Ehie Edison.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/idrinstitute.png")
Ehie, who is currently the Chief of Staff to Governor Siminialayi Fubara, was a one time Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and was also a factional Speaker of the Assembly.
As the political crisis deepened, he later resigned from his position and as a member of the Rivers State House of State Assembly to take up the appointment as Chief of Staff to the governor.
Following Ehie’s appointment, there have been calls for a bye-election in his constituency for the election of another lawmaker that would represent Ahoada East Constituency II.
But the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State, Gabriel Yomere, said the Commission and the State House of Assembly did not also accept the Ehie’s resignation.
Yomere said that INEC disclosed that the only State Constituency, where INEC may likely conduct a bye-election before the end of this year is in Khana Constituency Two, which was previously occupied by the Late Dinebary Loloo.
He ruled out a bye-election for Ahoada East Constituency II, a pronouncement that has sparked debate over the sustainability of the peace brokered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for Fubara and Barr. Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
On the social media, INEC is being perceived as targeting some of the pillars in Fubara’s camp, who have remained loyal in the face of intimidation, just as they see INEC as working with the Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly to destabilize Fubara.
In the heat of the crisis, shortly before Tinubu suspended democratic governance in the state, there were reports that repeated efforts to lure Ehie from Fubara met a brick wall, as he maintained his loyalty to the governor.
One of the commentators on the social media, Kio Obomanu, a public affairs commentator and broadcaster, said: “This can only happen when an electoral umpire, INEC lacks integrity. In an instance where INEC lacks credibility, this is the resultant effect.
“It is preposterous that INEC is telling the entire Nation and Rivers people that Rt Hon Edison Ehie’s resignation will not be accepted.
“On what grounds is INEC making this statement ? Is it as an appendage of the Executive arm of the Federal Government or the Rivers State House of Assembly ? Is INEC now part of the confusion and the many issues in Rivers State?
“It is very appalling and unfortunate that INEC has allowed itself to be dragged into the murky waters of politics. Is an Electoral umpire now part of his structure?
“When has it turned the duty of Rivers State House of Assembly to determine who is a member and who is not a member?
“This same Assembly is also saying that Victor Oko-Jumbo, Adolphus Orubienimigha and Sokari Goodman are no longer members.
“And now, that Rt Hon Edison Ehie is still a member. Rt Hon Edison Ehie has been Chief of Staff to the Governor for more than a year now. It is now the plot just came up.”
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