The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Monday held a meeting with the suspended members of the Rivers State House of Assembly during a dinner hosted in the United Kingdom.
The development comes just a day after Wike met with several political allies in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, before departing for the UK.
The meeting with the lawmakers was confirmed by the minister’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, in a Facebook post.
Recall that the lawmakers in question were earlier suspended by President Bola Tinubu amid the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, following escalating political tensions between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Wike.
Governor Fubara was also suspended for six months as part of efforts to stabilize the state.
The political crisis, which rocked the state’s legislative structure, led to the suspension of several lawmakers and deepened the standoff within the state’s leadership.
The Supreme Court has since intervened, overturning the suspension and ordering the reinstatement of the affected lawmakers. The court also directed Governor Fubara to present the 2024 budget to the Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.
However, attempts by the governor to access the Assembly complex and present the budget were thwarted as the lawmakers reportedly denied him entry.
The suspended legislators are currently attending a legislative capacity-building programme in the UK.
