Demolition is currently underway at the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, with more than 10 bulldozers on-site to dismantle the entire structure. The Agenda Newspapper reminds us that the complex had previously suffered a fire incident on October 29, 2023.
Following the blaze, 27 out of the 32 state lawmakers accused Speaker Edison Ehie and three other legislators of being responsible for the fire. Consequently, Ehie and the three others were suspended from the Assembly on October 30, 2023.
In a separate session, Ehie emerged as the factional Speaker of the House and suspended Martins Amaewhule, alongside other lawmakers he did not name, from their positions. On December 12, 2023, a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt declared Ehie as the legitimate Speaker of the House.
The conflict within the Rivers State House of Assembly is rooted in the discord between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.