In a significant political maneuver, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has invited the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule to a high-stakes meeting amid the escalating power struggle gripping the state. The meeting, slated for March 10, 2025, at the Government House, Port Harcourt, is expected to address contentious issues, including the 2025 budget, unpaid entitlements, and the provision of a suitable venue for the State Assembly’s sittings.
The invitation, conveyed through an official letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief Dr. Tammy Wenike Danagogo, follows mounting legal and political battles between Fubara’s administration and the factional lawmakers aligned with his predecessor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The letter, titled ‘Meeting Between The Governor Of Rivers State And The Honourable Members Rivers State House Of Assembly,’ signals a possible attempt at de-escalation. It reads in part:
“I hereby write in furtherance of His Excellency’s promise stated in my letter dated 5 March, 2025, to notify you that His Excellency has received the Supreme Court Judgment and has therefore directed me to invite you and your colleagues—the Honourable members of the Rivers State House of Assembly—to a meeting to discuss:
Provision of a befitting space for the Assembly’s sittings.
Payment of all outstanding remuneration or allowances of the Honourable members.
Presentation of the 2025 Budget and sundry matters.
Any other matter(s), as may be necessary, to chart the way forward in the best interest of the state.
“Sequel to the above, I hereby humbly invite the Rt. Hon. Speaker and all the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to a meeting with the Governor as follows: Date: Monday, 10th March, 2025; Time: 10 am; Venue: Office of the Governor, Government House, Port Harcourt.”
Fubara’s invitation comes days after the Supreme Court affirmed Martin Amaewhule as the legitimate Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly—a ruling that has further emboldened the pro-Wike lawmakers. The Assembly has been at loggerheads with the governor, particularly after Fubara’s appointment of 19 commissioners was nullified—a move that deepened the political rift.
In retaliation, the affected commissioners, appointed with the approval of only four pro-Fubara lawmakers, have approached the court, seeking to restrain the Assembly from invalidating their appointments. They are also pursuing legal action to prevent the lawmakers from interfering with their duties as members of the state executive council.
The crisis has further intensified with the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC), Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retired), and his commissioners challenging the Assembly’s authority over the annulment of the October 2024 local government elections. The Assembly had summoned RISIEC officials to explain the nullification and account for election funds, but they have repeatedly ignored the invitations.
In response, the lawmakers—invoking Section 129 (1) (d) of the Constitution—have threatened constitutional action against RISIEC officials if they continue to snub the Assembly’s summons.
During a heated plenary session, the pro-Wike lawmakers accused Governor Fubara of deliberately stalling the 2025 budget presentation, warning that they would take necessary legislative action if he continued to delay.
Observers believe that Fubara’s sudden willingness to meet with the lawmakers is a calculated move rather than a mere act of reconciliation. Some political analysts speculate that the governor might be seeking to divide the pro-Wike camp or negotiate a fragile truce to prevent a full-blown constitutional crisis that could threaten his administration.
With tensions running high and both camps refusing to back down, the March 10 meeting could either mark a turning point in Rivers State’s political turmoil or deepen the crisis even further.
PIONEER NEWS 