The Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly has asked Governor Siminalayi Fubara to properly channel his invitation to the lawmakers and not through social media.
This reaction followed the governor’s invitation to the Assembly for a meeting at the Government House on Monday (today) to address key issues, including the provision of a sitting space for the Assembly, payment of outstanding allowances, and the presentation of the 2025 budget.
The 27 lawmakers, loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike, may reject the invitation unless their conditions are met by Governor Fubara. One of the lawmakers, Isaiah Opuende, who represents Akuku-Toru Constituency 2, criticized the governor for extending the invitation via social media. Opuende urged the governor to communicate with the Assembly appropriately, stating that it was surprising that Fubara would call them after repeatedly telling them to “dey their dey.”
Opuende stated, “It is time for us to determine our dey. When the ‘dey your dey’ started, our principal said the time for our own ‘dey your dey’ will come. Now, our ‘dey your dey’ has come. Dey your dey make we dey our dey. How can you wire a letter and post it on social media and expect us to honour it? You know we are not kids. The governor should properly write to the Assembly. That’s all. Thank you.”
Similarly, some former local government chairmen who served during Wike’s tenure were seen in a viral video mocking Fubara over the invitation extended to the Assembly members. A former chairman of Ikwerre LG, Dr. Samuel Nwanosike, along with others, sang and danced, repeatedly chanting, “Dey your dey, make I dey my dey, dey your dey, nobody worry Amaewhule.”
Following the Supreme Court judgment affirming their legitimacy, the lawmakers, in their first sitting, urged Governor Fubara to present the 2025 budget and submit nominees for commissioner and other appointments, insisting that those currently serving in the cabinet lacked legal backing. They also summoned the chairman and commissioners of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission to appear before them on Monday.
However, the requests were initially ignored, as Commissioner for Information, Joseph Johnson, stated that the government was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment before taking action. The CTC was eventually released on Thursday evening and widely published in national dailies on Friday.
In a bid to establish a relationship and woo the lawmakers, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, wrote a letter addressed to Speaker Amaewhule on Sunday, titled, “Meeting between the Governor of the Rivers State and the Honourable Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”
Danagogo stated that the meeting became necessary following the governor’s receipt of the CTC of the Supreme Court judgment. The letter outlined that the discussion would center on the provision of a space for the lawmakers to sit, the presentation of the 2025 budget, and other matters.
The statement read, “I hereby write in furtherance of His Excellency’s promise stated in my letter dated 5 March 2025 to notify you that His Excellency has received the Supreme Court judgment, and has, therefore, directed me to invite you and your colleagues – the honourable members of Rivers State House of Assembly, to a meeting to discuss: Provision of a befitting space for the Assembly’s sittings, payment of all outstanding remuneration or allowances of the Honourable members; Presentation of budget and sundry matters. Any other matter(s), as may be necessary, to chart the way forward in the best interest of the state.”
The invitation came as the 72-hour ultimatum given to the RSIEC chairman to appear before the House expired on Monday. During plenary on Friday, Speaker Amaewhule noted the Assembly’s legislative notice of Fubara’s failure to forward names of his commissioner nominees for screening. Efforts to reach Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, were unsuccessful as his mobile line was not connecting at the time of filing this report.
The development was hailed by the Chief Tony Okocha-led All Progressives Congress and the Emeka Beke-led faction, loyal to former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi. The Okocha faction, loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, described Fubara’s invitation to the lawmakers as a welcome development. State Publicity Secretary of the party, Chibuike Ikenga, expressed hope that the move would lead to a resolution of the crisis between the two arms of government in the state.
Ikenga stated, “Our position as a party is to the effect that whatever will bring lasting peace to Rivers State is what we support. And the two sides, the executive and the legislature, should make all these overtures to engender confidence building which of course will lead to a final resolution of this crisis. The Supreme Court had already put a nail on it, but interpersonal relationships between the leaders of the two arms of government are encouraged. There are overtures expected from the two sides which have quarrelled for close to two years. That the Rivers State House of Assembly had written letters to the governor and the governor has also responded and the governor has written, inviting them as part of the follow-up of the earlier letter, we welcome all these processes and procedures that will lead to final resolution.”
Similarly, the Chief of Staff to the Beke-led APC, Chizi Entire, described the development as a win-win situation. He commended the governor for keeping to his promise of implementing the Supreme Court judgment. “The letter written by the governor to the Assembly shows that he is a man who believes in the rule of law and who can also maintain his stand and do what he says. This is the first move to ensure orderliness in the state. The governor sees that the people matter and not him. So making peace with the lawmakers is the best thing he can achieve for now. When it is achieved, I think the state will move forward. The Supreme Court has recognised the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly and the governor does not have any option but to obey the judgment of the Supreme Court. It is a win-win. Nobody is a loser and nobody is a winner,” he said.
Meanwhile, former chairmen of Ijaw-dominated local government areas in Rivers State have condemned threats by non-state actors over the political crisis in the state. Some groups had threatened to disrupt oil production and cause a crisis if Fubara was impeached. The former campaign coordinators for Fubara in their various local government areas called on the police, the Department of State Security, and other security agencies to enforce the judgment of the Supreme Court in the interest of the people. They accused Fubara of failing to take the opportunity offered by the presidential intervention to end the crisis.
The Ijaw leaders, who said they remained the substantive chairmen of their local government areas following their aborted tenure extension, expressed relief that the Supreme Court had ended the crisis.
They condemned threats by groups such as the Ijaw National Congress and the Ijaw Youth Council, stating, “We condemn those empty threats and urge the Federal Government and Nigerians to disregard such comments which project the Ijaws in a bad light. Moreso, it is a fact that these threats attack the sensitivity of people from other ethnic groups in Rivers State who also voted for Governor Siminalayi Fubara.”
The ex-LG chairmen assured Nigerians that they would mobilize their support base to protect oil installations situated in their respective communities. They called on Governor Fubara to obey and ensure full compliance with the decisions of the Supreme Court, warning against any act that might necessitate impeachment.
“The Ijaws should at this point ensure that their beloved son does not carry out any act that will necessitate the deployment of this constitutionally approved procedure to check his excesses,” the statement read.
