Rivers Assembly

By Anwar Usman 

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, hosted suspended Rivers state house of assembly lawmakers in the United Kingdom on Monday.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, posted on X.com on Tuesday that the lawmakers, who are in the UK for “legislative capacity building,” were hosted to a dinner by the minister.

He stated that “Yesterday, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, hosted Rivers State House of Assembly members who are in the United Kingdom for Legislative Capacity Building, to a dinner.

Reports have it that on Sunday, the suspended Rivers lawmakers, led by the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, departed Nigeria for a tour in the United Kingdom.

Amaewhule was said to have declared open the 10th Rivers Assembly Legislative Tour of the United Kingdom on Friday.

He emphasized that the legislative tour would allow the House to learn new things outside Nigeria, which would improve members’ capacity for the tasks ahead.

On March 18th, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Prof Ngozi Odu, and members of the state House of Assembly.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A Rivers State High Court has declared the seats of 25 lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) vacant.

The court ordered the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, and 24 other lawmakers to stop parading as lawmakers pending the determination of a suit before it.

The court gave the order in Suit No PHC/1512/CS/2024, brought by Rt. Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo, Speaker, Rivers State House Of Assembly, Hon. Sokari Goodboy Sokari, and Hon.

Orubienimigha Adolphus Timothy, over the crises rocking the legislative arm of the state.

The defendants include 25 lawmakers who defected from PDP to APC, including Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, Hon. Dumle Maol, and 23 others.

The Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and the Honourable Chief Judge Of Rivers State, Simeon Amadi, are also defendants in the suit.

The court restrained the lawmakers from parading as lawmakers or meeting to carry out legislative business pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

The case was adjourned to July 1, 2024, for mention.