The crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly further escalated on Thursday as a faction of lawmakers led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule convened a separate session after their seats were declared vacant by a rival pro-government group.
The Amaewhule faction, mostly loyalists of former Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike, met in an auditorium at the Assembly Quarters in Port Harcourt despite Wednesday’s move by the faction backing Governor Siminialayi Fubara to remove them.
During their sitting, the embattled lawmakers passed two key bills – the Rivers State House of Assembly Funds Management (Financial Autonomy) Bill 2023 and the Rivers State Local Government Law (Amendment) Bill 2023.
The financial autonomy bill aims to provide greater legislative control over Assembly funds from the state consolidated revenue, while the amended local government law seeks to prevent arbitrary removal of elected council officials.
Speaker Amaewhule said the bills affirm their commitment to democratic principles, but also slammed Governor Fubara over the “unauthorized demolition” of the Assembly complex on Tuesday.
The lawmakers adopted a motion to write to international bodies condemning Fubara’s “constant attacks” on the legislature and designating the auditorium as their temporary chambers.
The dramatic sitting capped another chaotic week in the Assembly, stemming from the fallout between Wike and Governor Fubara over control of the state. The crisis risks paralyzing governance activities in the oil-rich state.
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