Pro-Wike Rivers Assembly Members Commence Sitting to Consider Withdrawal of Impeachment Notice

26 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, aligning with former Governor Nyesom Wike, convened for a crucial sitting in Port Harcourt on Wednesday. Led by Martin Amaewhule, the lawmakers gathered at the House of Assembly quarters with a singular agenda – the withdrawal of the impeachment notice against the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

This move follows a prolonged crisis in the oil-rich state stemming from a feud between Wike and his predecessor, Fubara. The conflict witnessed a factional split among lawmakers, with 27 defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party currently hosting Wike in the central government as a minister.

President Bola Tinubu, in collaboration with former Governor Dr. Peter Odili, played a crucial role in brokering a truce at the Aso Villa in Abuja. Despite earlier interventions in October by the President and elder statesmen, the crisis persisted, leading to parallel sittings, an impeachment plot against Governor Fubara, the demolition of the Assembly complex, and a wave of resignations from pro-Wike commissioners in Fubara’s cabinet.

In a recent meeting on Monday, a breakthrough was achieved as both parties agreed to withdraw all court matters initiated by Fubara and his team. Notably, the agreement was purportedly signed by key figures including Fubara, Wike, Amaewhule, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. This marks a pivotal step towards resolving the longstanding conflict that has plagued Rivers State.