Suspended Rivers Lawmakers Embark on UK Tour Amid Controversy

Suspended members of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, have embarked on a legislative tour of the United Kingdom. The lawmakers, who were previously at the center of a political crisis with Governor Siminalayi Fubara, had been largely out of the spotlight since their suspension and the declaration of a state of emergency in the state by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Despite their suspension, the lawmakers and their families were reported to have remained in the official legislative quarters in Port Harcourt. A statement from Amaewhule’s Special Assistant on Media, Martins Wachukwu, confirmed their departure, noting that the Speaker had officially opened the five-day legislative tour in Central London. The tour’s first session focused on “Legislative Dynamics in the Presidential and Parliamentary Systems.”

According to the statement, the tour is aimed at enhancing the legislative capacity of the Assembly members by exposing them to international parliamentary practices. The lawmakers expressed hope that the experience would serve as a platform for peer review and help sharpen their oversight responsibilities.

This UK trip marks the third capacity-building programme organized by the House under Amaewhule’s leadership. The statement emphasized that none of the programmes received government funding, attributing their success to support from key political figures in Rivers State. It praised former Governor Nyesom Wike and members of the Rivers State Elders Council for sponsoring the tour and standing by the Assembly.

The House expressed gratitude to the people of Rivers State for their continued trust and support, and Amaewhule assured them that better days lie ahead. He called for peace and unity among citizens while pledging support for the current Administrator overseeing the state’s affairs.