Governor Siminalayi Fubara has been accused by Martin Amaewhule, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, of intentionally silencing lawmakers and “setting the stage for another crisis” in the state.
Amaewhule, accompanied by ten lawmakers, spoke to reporters in Port Harcourt on Thursday in response to Fubara’s Wednesday remarks.
The governor had expressed disappointment that his political benefactor, Nyesom Wike, has yet to fulfill his pledge to schedule a meeting between him and the Wike-aligned MPs.
During the project’s launch on Wednesday, Fubara stated that he was devoted to peace and eager to meet all of the demands of MPs loyal to the FCT Minister.
In response, Amaewhule accused the governor of lying, undermining the Assembly, and being “reactionary,” using the status of education as an example.
Contrary to Fubara’s assertions, Wike had held multiple meetings in Abuja and Port Harcourt with the governor and MPs present.
Amaewhule claimed that since taking office, Fubara has shown no willingness to collaborate with the House, accusing him of squandering funds from both the 2024 and 2025 budgets without legislative clearance.
He also accused the governor of breaking all past agreements with lawmakers, claiming that he was “laying the groundwork for another round of crisis,” despite the Assembly’s commitment to peace and President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.
The Speaker further claimed that Fubara intended to use the N600 billion apparently left behind by the state’s former administrator during emergency rule, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), “to divide lawmakers and for other frivolities.”
He asked the governor to “brace up to be the true leader Rivers people desire,” and that the public had “suffered too much because of the governor’s alleged indolence.”
Amaewhule said, “Everybody is aware that we are currently on recess, meeting with our constituents… But we all know that a lie told often enough becomes the truth… which is why as the Speaker… I think it is incumbent on me to set the record straight.”
He continued, “The governor alleged that he has not been able to meet with members of the Rivers State House of Assembly because the FCT Minister… has refused to make that possible… We were so disheartened hearing that from our governor… coming at a time when Rivers people are yearning for peace and good governance.”
Describing Fubara’s claim as “unnecessary and condemnable,” Amaewhule said, “What the governor is trying to do is to set the stage for another crisis in Rivers State… The governor merely lied to Rivers’ people… Shortly after the emergency rule was terminated… the FCT minister summoned a meeting between the governor and us… We met with him in Abuja.”
He also stated that further meetings were held in Port Harcourt at the residence of the Chairman of the Elders’ Council, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba.
The speaker mentioned, “How many meetings have I mentioned? How many meetings does the governor want the FCT minister to call? Is it a hundred?”
Amaewhule also alleged that Fubara had refused to present the budget for the remaining part of 2025.
He added, “In that meeting, the governor told us blatantly that he would not bring a budget… From September, when we met… the governor has been spending without our approval… awarding contracts to his cronies… particularly those who masterminded the burning of the Rivers House of Assembly.”
He added, “The governor does not seek the approval of the Rivers House of Assembly to spend. He has been spending from his front pockets.”
Speaking on the state’s finances during emergency rule, Amaewhule reiterated that “the outgoing administrator… left over N600bn in the accounts of Rivers State… The governor has been spending it, boasting how he will use the funds to divide the Assembly members.”
He emphasized that lawmakers were not for sale, saying, “Members, are you for sale? No. Not at all!”
Amaewhule condemned Fubara’s leadership style, saying, “The governor should know… he ought to be a leader… But at the moment, the governor is failing… Disparaging the FCT Minister is not leadership at all… Sending his attack dogs… to insult us on social media won’t help the governor.”
The speaker accused the governor’s media allies of constantly attacking lawmakers online, saying, “Those he is using to insult assembly members… he gives them money, and they go to all the television stations and insult us.”
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
