The Rivers State House of Assembly is set to witness parallel sittings today as two factions continue to vie for control, News About Nigeria reports.
This morning, the faction led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, loyal to State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, will hold a session at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
Meanwhile, the faction headed by Martin Amaewhule, aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, will convene at the State Assembly’s official quarters along Aba Road.
On Sunday night, the Oko-Jumbo-led faction, through a letter from the House Clerk, Dr. G. M. Gillis-West, summoned a new commissioner-nominee, Emmanuel Frank-Fubara, for screening and confirmation as a member of the State Executive Council.
This session will take place in an improvised chamber at the Government House.
In contrast, the Amaewhule-led faction, which recently gained recognition from the Court of Appeal, will hold its first sitting since the court’s decision.
While the agenda for their meeting remains unclear, sources suggest they may discuss the ongoing police barricades at the 23 local government councils, which have been in place for over two weeks amid the political turmoil following the end of the tenure of the former Local Government Chairmen.
The assembly’s official complex on Moscow Road was bombed in October 2023 during an attempted impeachment of Governor Fubara by 27 pro-Wike lawmakers.
This led to a deepening political crisis, with the pro-Wike legislators subsequently defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The legitimacy of these 27 lawmakers is currently under judicial review, as the courts are set to determine their status. Both factions are scheduled to commence their sittings at 10 a.m.
