Rivers Assembly clears way for return of three suspended lawmakers

The Rivers State House of Assembly has reversed its decision declaring the seats of three lawmakers vacant, clearing the way for them to return to legislative duties after apologising for their prolonged absence from sittings.

The affected lawmakers are Timothy Oruibienimigha of Opobo/Nkoro Constituency, Victor Oko-Jumbo of Bonny Constituency and Sokari Goodboy Sokari of Ahoada West Constituency.

The decision was taken on Monday during the 68th legislative sitting of the fourth session of the 10th Assembly, following separate appeals by the lawmakers asking the House to reconsider its earlier position.

Speaker Martin Amaewhule read the letters during plenary, explaining that the lawmakers had apologised for failing to resume legislative duties after their suspension was lifted in December 2023.

They claimed they were unaware that the suspension had been lifted because they did not receive official correspondence notifying them of the decision.

The lawmakers were suspended on October 30, 2023, during the political crisis that disrupted the Rivers State legislature. Their suspension was lifted on December 20, 2023, following a presidential intervention aimed at easing tensions in the state.

Their continued absence from legislative sittings prompted the Assembly to declare their seats vacant on October 15, 2024. The House subsequently notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct by-elections to fill the positions.

During Monday’s sitting, lawmakers who contributed to the debate supported the appeals and urged their colleagues to reconsider the decision.

Amaewhule said investigations suggested that the three lawmakers might not have received the communication informing them that their suspension had been lifted.

He maintained that the decision should be guided by justice rather than emotion, after which members voted in favour of rescinding the declaration.

The reversal allows the three lawmakers to rejoin their colleagues in representing their constituencies, bringing a new development to a political dispute that has repeatedly strained relations within Rivers State’s legislature.

The dispute formed part of the wider political crisis that erupted in 2023 between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. The disagreement triggered divisions within the Assembly and prolonged tensions between the executive and legislative arms of government.

The latest decision comes amid reconciliation efforts involving Wike, Fubara, lawmakers and other political stakeholders in the state.

On Sunday, Wike led a delegation of lawmakers and the state’s 23 local government chairpersons to meet Fubara at the governor’s private residence in Port Harcourt.

The Assembly’s reversal on Monday now opens the way for Oruibienimigha, Oko-Jumbo and Sokari to resume legislative duties after their seats had been declared vacant and INEC notified to organise elections to replace them.