The Rivers State House of Assembly reconvened in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, signaling a potential end to the protracted crisis that has plagued the oil-rich state in recent months. Led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, the lawmakers gathered at the House of Assembly quarters for their first sitting since the intervention aimed at resolving the bitter rift between Governor Nyesom Wike and his predecessor, Fubara.
In a significant development, the 27 members of the assembly, one of whom was absent due to hospitalization, jointly submitted a letter expressing their withdrawal from the ongoing conflict. Speaker Amaewhule announced the decision, citing the conflict resolution initiative spearheaded by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The crisis in Rivers State escalated into a political quagmire, leading to a split among lawmakers. Twenty-seven members defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a party currently serving as the central government where Governor Wike holds a ministerial position.
President Tinubu consulted with former governor Dr. Peter Odili to mediate between the warring factions. A truce was eventually brokered at the Aso Villa in Abuja, with the hope of restoring peace and normalcy in the state.
Earlier attempts to resolve the conflict in October, involving the President and elder statesmen, proved futile as the situation deteriorated, resulting in parallel legislative sittings, an impeachment plot against Governor Wike, the demolition of the Assembly complex, and numerous resignations from pro-Wike commissioners in Fubara’s cabinet.
As part of the resolutions made after the recent meeting, all legal actions initiated by Fubara and his team were to be immediately withdrawn. The agreement was formally signed by key figures in the crisis, including Fubara, Wike, Speaker Amaewhule, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.