Hours After Locking Out Fubara, Rivers Lawmakers Resume Sitting

The Rivers State House of Assembly resumed plenary on Wednesday amid reports that lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, prevented Governor Siminalayi Fubara from presenting the 2025 budget.

A video obtained by SaharaReporters showed lawmakers already seated inside the chamber as Speaker Martin Amaewhule and other officials carrying the mace made their way into the hall.

Earlier, a dramatic standoff unfolded at the Assembly complex, where Fubara accused legislators of locking the gates to prevent him from presenting the 2025 Appropriation Bill.

The governor, who arrived at the complex early in the morning, expressed frustration over the situation, stating that multiple attempts to contact Speaker Amaewhule and other lawmakers had been ignored.

“I have made several attempts—by phone calls and through official letters—to reach the Speaker and other members. But it is unfortunate that the gate is completely sealed, and there is no sign that anything is going to happen today,” Fubara lamented.

He warned that failing to pass the budget would disrupt governance and stall ongoing projects crucial to the state’s development.

A video of the incident, shared by Facebook user Prince Yemi Itodo, showed the Assembly complex under lock and key, with reports suggesting security operatives had been ordered to vacate the premises.

“The implication is that the state will be run without a budget, which will slow development and lead to financial irregularities,” Itodo wrote.

This blockade marks the latest escalation in the ongoing political conflict between Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, whose loyalists hold a majority in the Assembly.

The crisis has drawn the attention of President Bola Tinubu, who recently urged both sides to implement a Supreme Court-backed political agreement aimed at resolving the dispute.

Despite Tinubu’s intervention and Fubara’s calls for dialogue, Wednesday’s developments indicate that the struggle for control of the Rivers State government remains unresolved.