The crisis rocking the Rivers state political space has resurfaced following the emergence of a new speaker reportedly loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, fell apart soon after the former resumed office as the state’s number one citizen.
The crisis deepened when Fubara was served an impeachment notice by the state assembly, a development that made the governor receive more sympathy from the people.
Most lawmakers were said to have queued behind Wike, the former governor and present federal capital territory (FCT) minister.
However, President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the crisis led to a temporary political solution. The governor earlier admitted to signing a peace deal initiated by the president, a development faulted by political analysts.
After Tinubu’s intervention, relative peace returned to the state. But the crisis appears to be back, as All Progressives Congress (APC) called on the state assembly to resume the governor’s impeachment proceedings.
In the next couple of days, Fubara will be celebrating his one year in office. He will likely talk more about the political crisis in the state and make promises to the people without referencing his administration’s major developmental projects.
This political crisis in the state, which has lasted one year, has led to the emergence of three speakers in the state House of Assembly. These speakers included factional, legal, and perceived illegal speakers.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has 32 members. One lawmaker died shortly after the 2023 general elections, leaving 31 members. Of these, 27 are loyal to Wike, while four are loyal to Fubara.
The speakers are listed below:
He was the Rivers State House of Assembly speaker until October 2023. He was ousted in a crisis that led to the emergence of Ehie Edison as the new speaker.
Amaewhule was said to be a loyalist of the former governor Wike, and he led the plenary when Fubara was served the impeachment notice.
He led the 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike to the APC in the heat of the political crisis in the state, a development which led to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) move to impeach them.
However, he was reinstated as the Rivers State House of Assembly speaker after President Tinubu’s political solution.
He emerged as the Rivers State House of Assembly speaker on October 30, 2023, following a crisis that led to Martin Amaewhule’s ousting. He is a contender for the speakership and a former deputy speaker.
Edison resigned his membership in the Rivers state House of Assembly following the resolution reached at the Abuja peace accord between Governor Fubara and Wike during President Tinubu’s intervention.
He was subsequently appointed as chief of staff to Governor Fubara. He was later declared wanted by the Inspector General of Police over terrorism allegations, and the matter is still in court.
Oko-Jumbo emerged as a factional speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly in May 2024. He represents the Bonny Constituency. Some of the lawmakers loyal to Governor Fubara elected Victor Oko-Jumbo.
Oko-Jumbo was said to have been elected as the new speaker of the 32-member House of Assembly at about 10 am during the plenary on Wednesday. His election was said to be in line with the Standing Order of the House.
At the beginning of the political crisis in Rivers State, the new speaker was one of the four lawmakers behind the governor.
