The Rivers State House of Assembly, under the leadership of Speaker Martin Amaewhule, failed to resume its scheduled plenary on Thursday.
This development comes exactly one week after the House adjourned its last sitting, leaving the legislative quarters along Aba Road in Port Harcourt inactive.
The sudden cancellation has sparked intense speculation across the state. While no official reason was provided for the failure to sit, reports suggest that a counter-plot to impeach Speaker Amaewhule may have been the cause.
Sources indicate the Speaker might have “gotten wind” of a move by some lawmakers to turn the tables on him during the session, leading to a tactical withdrawal.
Exactly seven days ago, the Assembly initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.
The House accused the executive of gross misconduct, specifically citing the demolition of the Assembly complex and unauthorized spending.
At that time, the Clerk was directed to serve the Governor an impeachment notice, giving him a seven-day window to respond.
However, the momentum of the impeachment appears to be wavering. Between Monday and Wednesday, four prominent lawmakers—Minority Leader Sylvanus Nwankwo, Peter Abbey, Barile Nwakoh, and Emilia Amadi—publicly withdrew their support for the move.
They called for a political solution instead of an outright removal, following interventions from various state elders and stakeholders.
However, efforts to reach the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Dr. Eneme George, for clarification were unsuccessful as of the time of this report.