Rivers Assembly Brings Back Three Lawmakers Supporting Governor Fubara

The Rivers State House of Assembly has changed its earlier decision that removed three lawmakers loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara from their positions.

The Assembly made this decision just one day after FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, met with lawmakers and the 23 local government chairpersons in Port Harcourt for a reconciliation meeting with the governor.

The lawmakers reinstated are Timothy Oruibienimigha from Opobo/Nkoro Constituency, Victor Jumbo from Bonny Constituency, and Sokari Goodboy Sokari from Ahoada West Constituency.

This decision was made on Monday during the 68th legislative sitting of the fourth session of the 10th Assembly. It followed separate letters of appeal from the three lawmakers to the Assembly's Speaker, Martin Amaewhule.

Martins Wachukwu, a media aide to the speaker, shared this news in a statement on Facebook on Monday.

The statement noted that the lawmakers apologized to the House for not returning to work after their suspension was lifted in December 2023. They explained their absence by saying they did not get any official notice that the suspension had ended after a presidential intervention.

These lawmakers were part of four members suspended on October 30, 2023, during a political crisis that split the Assembly into factions supporting Mr Wike and Mr Fubara.

The statement mentioned that during Monday’s plenary, lawmakers discussed the appeals and agreed to reverse the previous resolution that declared the seats vacant.

Mr Amaewhule said, "Investigations indicated that the three lawmakers might not have received the correspondence notifying them of the lifting of their suspension," the statement explained.

The lawmakers then voted to reverse the earlier declaration, allowing their colleagues to return to the Assembly, as stated in the announcement.

This decision comes at a time when there are fresh efforts to reconcile Mr Wike and Mr Fubara after more than three years of political conflicts that have often disrupted governance in Rivers State.