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The Rivers State House of Assembly has reversed its earlier decision to declare the seats of three lawmakers loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara vacant, allowing them to return to the legislature after accepting their appeals and apologies.
The affected lawmakers are Victor Oko-Jumbo, representing Bonny Constituency; Sokari Goodboy Sokari of Ahoada West Constituency; and Timothy Oruibienimigha, who represents Opobo/Nkoro Constituency.
The decision was reached during Monday’s plenary session after Speaker Martin Amaewhule presented separate letters of appeal from the lawmakers. In the letters, they expressed regret over their prolonged absence from legislative sittings and asked the Assembly to reconsider its previous resolution against them.
The lawmakers explained that they were unaware that their suspension, imposed on October 30, 2023, had been lifted on December 20 of the same year following a peace intervention by President Bola Tinubu. They maintained that they had not received official communication notifying them of the decision.
During deliberations, members of the Assembly supported the appeals and urged their colleagues to reconsider the declaration of the seats as vacant. The motion was subsequently put to a vote and approved, paving the way for the three lawmakers to resume their legislative responsibilities.
Amaewhule, while commenting on the appeals, said the Assembly had to be guided by the law and the principles of justice rather than emotions. He also acknowledged that findings suggested the lawmakers might not have received the communication informing them that their suspension had been lifted.
The dispute dates back to the political crisis that erupted in Rivers State in October 2023, following disagreements between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who currently serves as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. The crisis created divisions within the state legislature, with lawmakers taking opposing positions.
Although the suspension was lifted in December 2023, the Assembly later declared the three lawmakers’ seats vacant on October 15, 2024, citing their continued absence from legislative proceedings. The House also notified the Independent National Electoral Commission of the vacancies and requested the conduct of by-elections.
The latest development comes a day after Wike led members of the Assembly and the 23 local government chairmen to a closed-door meeting with Fubara at the governor’s private residence. The meeting, which reportedly involved other political stakeholders, was aimed at addressing lingering disagreements between the two political camps ahead of the 2027 general elections.
