Rivers Crisis Intensifies as Fubara, Lawmakers Lock Horns

Rivers State lawmakers, loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the state Governor,  Siminalayi Fubara, engaged in war battle on Thursday following plan by the governor to renovate the state legislative quarters.

The governor had revealed this plan after during a visit to the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt. 

But the pro-Wike lawmakers, led by the factional Speaker, Martin Amaewhuke, said the plan of the governor served as a plot to demolish the legislative quarters the same way he pulled down the House of Assembly.

Fubara, at the Assembly quarters said he undertook an assessment of the condition of the structures for a possible rehabilitation to revamp the structure.

But responding to the visit of the governor, Amaewhule, accused Fubara of plotting to demolish the residential quarters of the lawmakers.

Amaewhule condemned the action of the governor, alleging that he was intimidating members of the House to demolish the facility built in 2022 by his predecessor.

The Speaker stated, “Rivers people were stunned today when Governor Fubara stormed the House of Assembly quarters with another attempt to demolish the premises.”

The Speaker expressed disappointment in the governor’s undue interference, stating that the Rivers State House of Assembly quarters were built for members of the House of Assembly, not for the executive arm.

He said “As you can see there is nothing wrong with any of the buildings. All the buildings are in perfect condition, our hall is in perfect condition, we have no issues and we have not called on the governor for any form of help. The Rivers State House of Assembly was built for members of the House of Assembly and not for the executive arm of government.

On the planned rehabilitation of the facility, Ikenga said it was a mere concoction to chase the lawmakers away from the building.
“That story is being concocted to try to forge a situation where you try to chase the people out of the place. That’s the same thing that was done at the Rivers State House of Assembly complex.”