By Davies Iheamnachor, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State House of Assembly has reversed its earlier decision to declare the seats of three lawmakers supporting the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, vacant.
The state’s legislative arm reached this resolution to reinstate the three lawmakers during its plenary on Monday.
The pro-Fubara lawmakers, whose seats were earlier marked to be declared vacant, included Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo, representing Bonny Constituency. Hon. Sokari Goodboy Sokari, Ahoada West and Hon. Orubienimigha Timothy, Opobo/Nkoro Constituency.
The assembly decision followed letters dated 16th of October 2026 from the three lawmakers, which were read on the floor of the House during plenary.
The lawmakers in the letter requested that they be called back into the House to continue the representation of the constituency with the emergence of peace.
It would be recalled that the House of Assembly had, on the 30th October 2023, in the heat of the political crisis, suspended the three lawmakers alongside Hon. Edison Ehie for alleged misconduct.
Ehie, who later became the Chief of Staff to the Governor, had resigned his membership of the assembly in the heat of the crisis, allowing for a by-election in his constituency.
The trio’s suspension was, however, lifted on the 20th of December 2023 after the first peace meeting initiated by President Tinubu between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike and Governor Fubara.
But following the failure of the three lawmakers to attend sittings after their suspension was lifted, their seats were then declared vacant on the 15th of October 2025 by the Amaewhule-led House in line with section 109 sub 1 (e) of the Constitution.
The House had consequently written the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a by-election to fill the vacant seats.
But during Monday’s plenary, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule read the letters from each of the three lawmakers explaining that they never saw the letter lifting their suspension earlier, which was the reason they didn’t attend the sitting and appealed for the House to rescind its decision.
After debates on the letter by the lawmakers, the House decided to rescind its decision to declare their seats vacant
The assembly’s decision might not be unconnected with Sunday’s meeting between the Leader of Rainbow Coalition and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, the lawmakers, Chairmen of Local Government Areas and other leaders of the coalition with the Governor, Fubara and members of his team.
It was gathered that the letters that preceded and the decision of the Assembly were issues resolved at the strategic closed-door meeting.
It was further gathered the meeting which had Senator Magnus Abe was aimed at resolving outstanding areas of differences between the two political camps of Wike and Fubara ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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