Barely three months after peace was brokered between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and his political protégé, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, tensions are once again rising in Rivers State.
Reports indicate that members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule and aligned with the FCT Minister, are preparing for another confrontation with the governor.
This comes months after a major political crisis erupted in late 2023, triggered by a fierce struggle between Fubara and Wike over control of the state’s political structure, shortly after Fubara assumed office.
The face-off between the two leaders subsequently worsened in 2024 after the Martins Amaewhule-led members of the state Assembly joined the fight.
Recalls that about 27 lawmakers loyal to the FCT Minister on December 11, 2023 dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the All Progressives Congress, APC.
But the defection did not go down well as Fubara-backed members of the house, on July 6, 2024 declared their seats vacant, escalating the political tension in the state.
The crisis lingered until May 18, 2025, when President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers, suspending Fubara, his deputy and members of the State House of Assembly for a period of six months.
However, on July 27, 2025, Tinubu met with Fubara, Wike and Amaewhule at the State House where he brokered peace between the warriors.
Barely three months after that, a fresh shot of the crisis started brewing in December 1st, 2025 when Amaewhule vehemently criticized Governor Fubara’s administration, accusing the government of neglecting public primary and secondary schools in the state.
In a viral video, Amaewhule could be heard saying that the decay under the government’s watch is unacceptable and embarrassing.
Amaewhule said it was “a sad commentary” that public schools in the oil-rich state have deteriorated to the point where vandals have taken over school premises, pupils learn without teachers, and one teacher is forced to teach two classes simultaneously.
16 lawmakers dump Fubara’s PDP
Amaewhule and 15 other members of the assembly on Friday, December 5, dumped Fubara’s PDP for the ruling All Progressives Congress, signaling another phase of crisis in the state.
The fifteen lawmakers include the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol (Gokana); Major Jack (Akuku-Toru); Linda Stewart (Okrika); Franklin Nwabochi (Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni); Azeru Opara (Port Harcourt 3); Smart Adoki (Port Harcourt 2); Enemi George (Asari-Toru 2); and Solomon Wami (Port Harcourt 1).
Others are Aforji (Eleme); Tekena Wellington (Asari-Toru 1); Looloo Opuende (Akuku-Toru 2); Peter Abbey (Degema); Arnold Dennis (Ogu/Bolo); Chimezie Nwankwo (Etche); and Ofiks Kabang (Andoni).
Assembly questions Fubara’s delay in presenting commissioners
Another sign of a fresh crisis emerged on Friday when the assembly tackled the governor for delaying the submission of a list of commissioner-nominees for screening.
Recalls that during the House’s first sitting following the suspension of the emergency rule in September 2025, the Assembly urged the governor to forward a list of commissioner-nominees to ensure effective governance in the state.
Rivers State Governor Fubara had earlier dismissed all commissioners appointed during the height of the political crisis, as they were not screened by the constitutionally recognized Assembly as declared by the Supreme Court ruling.
However, the governor of Rivers has been unable to forward a fresh list of commissioner-nominees to the house, triggering another face-off.
This is not what Rivers people need now – ADC Chairman
The Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Rivers State chapter, Leader Sampson said the state does not need another wave of crisis at the moment.
Sampson in an interview warned the assembly members and other parties involved in the brewing crisis not to jeopardize the lives of Rivers people over selfish interests.
He said, “This is obviously not what the state needs right now. After resolving the issues they had earlier, and the state of emergency was lifted, we expected that the legislative arm of the government would collaborate with the executive for the development of the state.
“However, what we see is what we earlier foresaw. We knew that the peace they achieved that time was for a selfish interest.
“We can’t even call that one peace deal. Terms were agreed for the interest of certain persons.
“The moment Amaewhule criticized the governor, we knew that something was already cooking. When they were talking about schools, they were just looking for what they would use to pin the governor. They already planned what they wanted to do.
“Everyone is free to play politics but not to the detriment of the Rivers people”.
They’ve left Fubara behind – Austin Okai
Also reacting, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Austin Okai wondered why the governor was left behind in the PDP despite the reconciliation.
Okai, who accused Fubara of going “back to his vomit” claimed that some of the governor’s supporters have also abandoned him.
He said, “Despite reconciliation, Wike’s train moved to the APC without carrying him along.
“He is now lonely, those that stood with him also abandoned him since he went back to his own vomit”.
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