The Rivers State House of Assembly has reinstated three lawmakers loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who had been suspended amid the political turmoil that rocked the state.
During Monday’s plenary session, the Assembly reversed its earlier decision to declare the seats of the three lawmakers vacant.
The lawmakers are Victor Oko-Jumbo, who represents Bonny Constituency; Sokari Goodboy Sokari, who represents Ahoada West Constituency; and Orubienimigha Timothy, who represents Opobo/Nkoro Constituency.
A statement issued on Monday by the Speaker’s media aide, Martins Wachukwu, said their reinstatement came after the lawmakers submitted letters of apology.
The statement, titled “Rivers Assembly Rescinds Decision on 3 Vacant Seats,” was sent to newsmen.
The statement read, “Riding on the letters of appeal sent to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, the trio of Hon. Timothy Oruibienimigha, Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo, and Hon. Sokari Goodboy Sokari, representing Opobo/Nkoro, Bonny, and Ahoada West constituencies, respectively, the House on Monday, at its 68th Legislative Sitting of the Fourth Session of the Tenth Assembly, rescinded its earlier decision declaring their seats vacant.
“In their separate letters of appeal read by the Speaker at plenary, the trio expressed deep apologies to the House, claiming that they failed to resume sitting with their colleagues because they had not received correspondence informing them that their suspension, imposed on October 30, 2023, was lifted on December 20, 2023, following presidential intervention.
“Debating the acceptability or otherwise of the appeals, members spoke in favor of the pleas and urged the House to rescind its earlier decision.
“Commenting on the letters and summarizing members’ submissions, the Speaker, Rt Hon Amaewhule, emphasized that, irrespective of the emotion-laden tenor of their appeals, investigations had shown that they might not have received the correspondence, as claimed.”
Amaewhule also stated that the law did not act on emotion but focused on justice, regardless of a person’s status.
The statement continued, “When the Speaker put the question on rescinding the earlier decision to a vote, members voted in the affirmative, expressing their willingness to have their colleagues rejoin them in representing their respective constituencies.
“Recall that, following the political crisis that engulfed the state, particularly the House of Assembly, four members were suspended at the 84th Legislative Sitting of the First Session of the Tenth Assembly on October 30, 2023. Following the presidential parole of December 18, 2023, the suspension was lifted on December 20, 2023, at the 89th Legislative Sitting of the First Session.
“However, following the continued failure or refusal of the trio to attend and participate in legislative sittings and the business of the Assembly without just cause, the House, at its 56th Legislative Sitting of the Second Session of the Tenth Assembly on October 15, 2024, resolved, in compliance with Section 109(1)(e) and (f) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to declare their seats vacant and accordingly notified the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct elections to fill the vacancies.”
Once the motion had been voted on and passed, Amaewhule urged the lawmakers to return to their seats and reunite with their colleagues.
The development came a day after Wike led members of the State House of Assembly and the 23 local government chairmen to Fubara’s private residence, where a closed-door meeting was held at about 4.30 pm on Sunday.
According to sources, the meeting brought together Wike, the reconciliation committee led by Senator Magnus Abe, and members of the Rainbow Coalition, with the goal of settling lingering disagreements between the two political figures once political godfather and godson in the run-up to the 2027 general elections.
Wike was named coordinator of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign council for Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory.
