The Rivers State House of Assembly has reversed its earlier decision to declare the seats of three lawmakers loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara vacant, directing them to resume their legislative duties.
The decision was taken during plenary on Monday, October 19, following the lawmakers’ submission of an apology to the House, which was accepted.
The affected lawmakers are Victor Oko-Jumbo, representing Bonny; Adolphus Timothy Oruibienimigha, representing Opobo/Nkoro; and Sokari Goodboy Sokari, representing Ahoada West.
During plenary, the Assembly read a letter from the three lawmakers in which they stated that they had not received correspondence directing them to resume legislative sittings following the President’s intervention in the political crisis in the state.
The lawmakers had been suspended on October 30, 2023, the day the Assembly first attempted to impeach Governor Fubara. They have been absent from legislative sittings for nearly three years.
The development comes amid renewed reconciliation efforts in Rivers State. On Sunday, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, led stakeholders of the Rainbow Coalition to meet with Governor Fubara at his private residence in Port Harcourt.
However, the reconciliation process has drawn criticism from some stakeholders, who argue that it did not initially provide for the lawmakers’ return to the Assembly.
Despite the reversal of the vacancy declaration, the three lawmakers are not expected to return to the Assembly in the next legislative term, having been screened out of the All Progressives Congress primary election process.
