Six Months After: Rivers Assembly Resumes Sitting

The Rivers State House of Assembly has resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency rule.

The six months state of emergency imposed by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Thursday.

The plenary is being presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.

The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex.

President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

He subsequently 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.

The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.On Wednesday, Tinubu ended the emergency rule in the state and asked Fubara, his deputy and the lawmakers to resume work on Thursday, September 18.