Politics

BREAKING: Pro-Fubara, Wike lawmakers hold parallel sittings today

Published

12 months ago

July 8, 2024

There is palpable tension in Rivers as the two factions of the State House of Assembly will have parallel sittings this morning.

On Sunday night the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led House loyal to the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara had in a letter by the Clerk, Dr G. M Gillis-West, invited a new commissioner-nominee, Emmanuel Frank-Fubara, to appear before it on Monday for screening and confirmation as a member box the State Executive Council.

Meanwhile, the Martin Amaewhule-led House loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, will also hold plenary today, our correspondent reliably gathered.

While the pro-Fubara lawmakers holds it string in an improvised Hallowed Chamber in the Government House, Port Harcourt, the pro-Wike legislators sit at the State Assembly official quarters along Aba Road, also in the metropolis.

Both factions will sit by 10 am today (Monday).

Though it is not clear what the Amaewhule-led lawmakers will deliberate on, it will be their first sitting since the Court of Appeal judgement recognised the pro-Wike lawmakers as members of the House.

The lawmakers may among others, discuss the issue of the 23 local government councils in the state, which has been barricaded by the police for over two weeks in the wake of the crisis that greeted the tenure of the then Local Government Chairmen.

Recall that the State House of Assembly Complex located along Moscow Road, Port Harcourt was bombed in October 2023, following an attempt by 27 lawmakers loyal to the FCT Minister to impeach Fubara.

The pro-Wike lawmakers later during plenary announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress as the political crisis in the state deepened following the feud between Fubara and Wike.

The status of the 27 lawmakers is now a subject of litigation as the Court is expected to determine their faith.

Politics

Amaechi blames Tinubu for poor state of economy

Published

27 minutes ago

July 3, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has questioned the whereabouts of the savings from the fuel subsidy removal and naira floating policies under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Amaechi, who was a former Minister of Transportation under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, made this known during an interview with Channels Television on Thursday.

According to him, the Nigerian economy is dying under Tinubu.

Amaechi noted that the purchasing power of Nigerians has been watered down by the Tinubu government.

“You are making savings from the fuel subsidy and floating the naira; where is the money?

“You get N16,000, for instance; in Buhari’s government, that will get you ten times as much, for instance, let’s assume, today, you get 120,000. You can only get four tyres. Which do you prefer?” he said.

Amaechi is part of the opposition coalition alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that moved to the African Democratic Congress on Wednesday.

Recall that in 2023, Tinubu’s administration announced the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira. Prices of goods and services in Nigeria skyrocketed because of the policies.

Meanwhile, Tinubu’s government has stressed that the cooling of inflation, which stood at 22.97 per cent in May, and the relative stability of the naira at the foreign exchange market (N1,525.83 per dollar as of Thursday) are indications that the country’s economy is on the right track.

In January 2023, before Buhari exited the seat of power, Nigeria’s headline inflation stood at 21.82 per cent, and the naira exchange rate to the dollar was around N745.

Politics

Rivers: I won’t disclose details of peace deal with Fubara – Wike

Published

5 hours ago

July 3, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, says he will not reveal details of the recent truce brokered between him and suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

The minister however declared that peace has returned to Rivers State.

Wike made this declaration on Thursday during a media chat at his residence in Abuja. He said rather than disclose details of the peace deal, he would instead allow people to speculate.

“I will allow you to speculate, it’s not my business. All I know is that peace has come. If you are not satisfied with that, there is nothing we can do. What is important is that peace has returned, whatever thing anybody says is not my business,” he said.

Ekwutosblog recalls that President Bola Tinubu, last month, hosted a conciliatory meeting between Wike, Fubara and the suspended members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, signaling a return to peace in the state.

The President suspended Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers Assembly in March 2025, after a heated and long-drawn political impasse in the oil-producing state.

Politics

‘This boy ran for president, didn’t get one vote’ – Wike slams Dele Momodu

Published

5 hours ago

July 3, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has described Dele Momodu as a ‘boy’, saying he does not even know his name.

Wike spoke on Thursday during a media chat with some select media houses.

Wike said that he does not remember the name of Dele Momodu, one of the most popular journalists in the country.

Wike’s comment about Momodu may not be unconnected to the journalist’s criticism of his political antics.

Momodu, the publisher of Ovation International Magazine, recently claimed that Wike cannot defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC, because he will lose his authority.

In what appears as a response to the claim, Wike said, “There is this boy, they say he is a journalist. What’s his name? He is big.”

When a journalist said “Dele Momodu”.

Wike added, “Okay, I don’t remember all these names. He was never my friend. He ran for president, but he didn’t get one vote.”