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The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, Thursday, accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of “deliberately lying” about his engagement with the state’s lawmakers.
Governor Fubara, on Wednesday, dismissed allegations of a rift between him and members of the assembly.
Mr Fubara explained that he had not met with the lawmakers since the peace deal because he was waiting for the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to convene the meeting in line with the peace agreement.
‘Fubara met us twice’
But at a press briefing with the other Rivers lawmakers on Thursday evening in his office in Port Harcourt, Mr Amaewhule stated that Mr Fubara lied when he said he had not met with them.
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The Speaker said that Mr Wike, following the directive of President Bola Tinubu, convened a meeting between them and the governor after the emergency rule.
He said the lawmakers met twice with Mr Fubara and other leaders but that the governor refused to comply with the terms of the peace deal.
“First and foremost, the governor lied when he said he hasn’t been able to meet with members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“We met with the governor, first in the house of the FCT minister and secondly in the house of Ferdinand Alabraba, yet he has failed on the terms of the meetings,” he said.
He warned that the governor’s comments and actions could reignite fresh political crisis in the South-southern state.
More accusations
Mr Amaewhule also accused Mr Fubara of spending “lavishly” and awarding contracts to his cronies and refusing to obtain approval from the assembly.
He claimed that the outgone Sole Administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, left over N600 billion in the state’s treasury inherited by the governor on his return after the emergency rule.
The speaker also accused the governor of allegedly plotting to use Rivers funds to buy off the lawmakers.
“The governor needs to know that members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are not for sale,” he said.
He equally alleged that the governor was “disparaging the person of Mr Wike” through his comments.
“Disparaging the FCT minister will not help him,” he said.
He asked the governor to endeavour to be “acting as a leader” and stop sending his media aides to attack the lawmakers.
Mr Amaewhule, however, expressed commitment to serving the interests of Rivers people and abiding by the peace process that was initiated by the president.
Second time in nine days
Mr Amaewhule’s latest criticism of Mr Fubara came nine days after the Speaker slammed the governor over reported neglect of public primary and secondary schools in the state.
The Speaker had 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.
Responding indirectly, Mr Fubara said his administration remained committed to education despite “glaring challenges.”
Background
Before now, there had been political crises in Rivers State, which were triggered by the feud between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Mr Wike.
Messrs Fubara and Wike’s face-off stemmed from their struggle for control of the political structures in Rivers.
The feud initially split the state assembly into two factions. While 27 lawmakers led by the Speaker, Mr Amaewhule, were loyal to Mr Wike, a four-member faction of the assembly was loyal to Governor Fubara.
The political crises resulted in the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers by President Tinubu, who suspended Mr Fubara, his deputy and all elected officials in the state for six months on 18 March.
In June, President Tinubu brokered a peace deal between the suspended governor and the FCT minister, which paved the way for the termination of the emergency rule and the lifting of the suspension on the elected officials.
Mr Fubara and the state’s assembly members resumed duties after 18 September 2025, following the president’s declaration of an end to the emergency rule in the south-southern state.
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However, despite the peace deal, fresh crises appear to be looming in the south-southern state with the two parties throwing tantrums at each other.
Apart from Mr Amaewhule’s tackling Mr Fubara over his alleged neglect of public primary and secondary schools, the lawmakers recently adjourned plenary until 26 January 2026, thereby making it impossible for the governor to present the 2026 budget to the assembly before the end of 2025.
