Police take over Rivers Assembly quarters

Men of the Nigerian Police Force on Friday took over the entrance and exit of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex.

Over 30 policemen besieged the first and second gates to the lawmakers’ estate, while about 25 patrol vans were used to block the other two entrances.

The policemen took over the place shortly after the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, accused Governor Sim Fubara of planning to demolish the legislative quarters.

The state assembly is currently in crisis following the emergence of a factional speaker, Victor Oko Jumbo.

But the Clerk of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Emeka Amadi, had disowned the Fubara’s Assembly faction.

Amadi insisted that the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly remains Martin Amaewhule.

This follows the face-off between Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over the political structures of the state.

On Thursday, Fubara paid an unannounced visit to the facility, explaining that he was there to access the place following the emergence of a new speaker.

“Is the Assembly quarters not part of my property? Is there anything wrong in going to check how things are going on there?

“You are aware of the developments. We have a new speaker, and I went there to see for myself how things are. There might be a few things I might want to do there for the good of our people,” the governor said.