Wike vs Fubara: Rivers Assembly crisis deepens as lawmakers hold separate sessions

The ongoing proxy war in the Rivers State House of Assembly worsened on Tuesday as the two factional lawmakers held separate meetings.

 

The factions that is backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, held their meeting at the Assembly complex with the full complement of security operatives on hand to secure the premises.

 

The Wike-backed faction are 25 lawmakers who are opposed to the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who has eight loyal lawmakers.

 

The entire stretch of the popular Moscow Road leading to the facility was cordoned off with patrol vehicles including a police Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) stationed in strategic places on the road.

 

The lawmakers led by their speaker, Martin Amaewhule, were said to have successfully deliberated on two items including the suspension of the strike declared by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN).

 

As part of their resolutions, the lawmakers asked the police to investigate the arson in the hallowed chamber and arrest and prosecute the arsonists.

 

It was gathered that immediately after the sitting, some senior police officers reportedly locked the entrance to the assembly complex and deployed more operatives to man the area.

 

 

Another report claimed that the lawmakers loyal to Fubara held their sitting in an undisclosed location in Port Harcourt.

 

 

The statement signed by one Ken Uchendu, a legislative aide to Edison Ehie, the factional speaker, said the lawmakers passed a vote of confidence on Fubara as part of their resolutions.

 

They were said to have commended the governor for his developmental strides and security initiatives to keep Rivers peaceful.

 

They stressed that only a man of great vision and peace could steer the ship of development for the benefit of the people of the state

 

The lawmakers reportedly resolved to continuously give the governor the required support to accomplish his consolidation and continuity agenda for the benefit of the state.

 

They were said to have condemned the attack on Ehie’s residence and the burning of the hallowed chamber of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

 

While appealing to the governor to begin the rehabilitation of the chamber, the lawmakers called on the Inspector-General of police to investigate the arson and bring the culprits to book.

 

 

The development was said to have deepened the political crisis, which started in October with the impeachment notice sent to the governor by the Amaewhule-led lawmakers.

 

There were indications that all the moves to reconcile the gladiators in the crisis had failed especially as Ehie and the police disagreed on his claim that he escaped assassination.