The Rivers State House of Assembly has resumed its plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed by President Bola Tinubu came to an end on Thursday. The lawmakers have gathered at the conference hall within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital, for the resumption of their duties.
The state of emergency was declared by President Tinubu on March 18, following a prolonged political standoff between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. The president suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months, and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
However, after a series of meetings between Fubara and Tinubu, as well as between Fubara and Wike, the political rift between them appears to have been resolved. Wike confirmed that the rift had been settled, paving the way for the lifting of the state of emergency.
With the state of emergency lifted, President Tinubu has asked Governor Fubara, his deputy, and the lawmakers to resume work. The Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, is presiding over the plenary session, which marks a new chapter in the state’s governance.
The lawmakers face the challenge of getting back to work after a six-month hiatus, while also dealing with the aftermath of the state of emergency. The assembly complex on Moscow Road, which was torched and later pulled down by the state government, is yet to be fully reconstructed, with the outgone sole administrator unable to complete the project.
