The political crisis in Rivers State deepened on Wednesday as lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, resumed plenary amid heightened tensions over Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s failed attempt to present the 2025 budget.
A video obtained by SaharaReporters captured the moment Speaker Martin Amaewhule and other legislative officials, wielding the symbolic mace, made their way into the chamber while lawmakers were already seated, signaling their readiness to conduct legislative business—without the governor’s input.
The development followed a dramatic early-morning standoff at the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, where Fubara, visibly frustrated, accused the lawmakers of deliberately locking him out to prevent the presentation of the 2025 Appropriation Bill.
“I have made several attempts—by phone calls and through official letters—to reach the Speaker and other members. But it is unfortunate that the gate is completely sealed, and there is no sign that anything is going to happen today,” Fubara lamented.
Multiple sources confirmed that security operatives were reportedly ordered to vacate the Assembly premises, allowing Wike’s loyalists to take control while the governor and his team were left outside.
The blockade marks yet another flashpoint in the ongoing power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, whose influence still dominates the state legislature.
President Bola Tinubu had recently intervened, urging both camps to uphold a Supreme Court-backed political agreement aimed at resolving the rift. However, Wednesday’s events suggest that the conflict is far from over.
Analysts warn that the lawmakers’ refusal to consider the 2025 budget could plunge the state into financial uncertainty, stalling development projects and creating a governance crisis.
“The implication is that the state will be run without a budget, which will slow development and lead to financial irregularities,” a political observer noted.
Despite Fubara’s call for dialogue and Tinubu’s intervention, the deep-seated rivalry between the governor and his predecessor appears to be taking Rivers State to the brink of a full-blown political crisis.
With Wike’s camp flexing its legislative muscle and Fubara struggling to assert his authority, the battle for control of the state government is intensifying, leaving the fate of critical governance decisions hanging in the balance.
PIONEER NEWS 