- Rivers lawmaker rejects Governor Fubara’s meeting invitation.
- Lawmakers question the mode of invitation, demand formal communication.
- Supreme Court ruling deepens the political crisis in Rivers State.
A member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Lolo Isaiah Opuende, has rejected an invitation from Governor Siminialayi Fubara for a crucial meeting at Government House, Port Harcourt.
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In a viral video, Opuende, who represents Akuku-Toru Constituency 2, declared that it was time for the governor to “dey his dey” (be on his own), while lawmakers would do the same. He recalled that when the political crisis in the state began, their principal had warned that a time would come for both sides to go their separate ways.
He also criticized the mode of invitation, questioning why the governor’s call for a meeting was made public rather than through an official channel.
“How can you write a letter to the House of Assembly, put it on social media, and expect us to come?
The governor should write us the proper way,” Opuende said.
Governor Fubara had earlier invited the Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Assembly to a meeting at the Government House on Monday.
The invitation came after the lawmakers’ 48-hour ultimatum for the governor to present the 2025 budget expired.
A letter dated March 9, signed by Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, and addressed to Speaker Amaewhule, stated that the governor had received the Supreme Court judgment and was prepared to meet with the legislators loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The meeting’s agenda includes discussions on providing a suitable venue for assembly sittings, payment of outstanding allowances, budget presentation, and other pressing issues. It is scheduled for Monday, March 10, at 10 a.m. at the Governor’s Office in Port Harcourt.
The lawmakers had also demanded that Governor Fubara dismiss commissioners and board members not screened by the Assembly, while summoning the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to appear before them.
Despite expectations that the Supreme Court’s recent judgment would end the prolonged political crisis in Rivers State, the ruling has further deepened the turmoil, with both factions interpreting it to their advantage.
Political analysts suggest that Governor Fubara faces increasing pressure as the Wike-led faction moves to consolidate power. They argue that a political resolution, rather than prolonged legal battles, may be the only path to restoring stability in the state.
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