Rivers Crisis: “Why Fubara Can’t Visit Assembly Complex Uninvited,” Wike Speaks

• FCT minister and former Rivers governor, Nyesom Wike, has criticised Governor Siminalayi Fubara over what he described as a "forced attempt" into the Rivers Assembly Quarters
• Wike, at a media parley on Wednesday, insisted that Fubara cannot visit the assembly quarters without invitation
• The Rivers crisis worsened after the demolition of the assembly complex in December 2023 and the Supreme Court judgment that reaffirmed Martins Amaewhule’s position as speaker

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Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements

A former Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, has said that his successor, Siminalayi Fubara, can’t show up uninvited at the Rivers State House of Assembly Quarters after he demolished the Assembly Complex in December 2023.

Wike spoke on Wednesday, March 12, at a media chat in Abuja.

According to Wike, Fubara should have waited for the Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly to approve his visit before he showed up.

Legit.ng recalls that Fubara was locked out of the quarters on Wednesday upon his arrival to re-present the 2025 Budget as directed by the Assembly.

This was after the epic Supreme Court verdict on February 28, 2025, which recognised Amaewhule as the speaker of the House. Amaewhule and over 20 lawmakers are known to be loyal to Wike.

The governor, who addressed reporters at the quarters, said he communicated his plan to be at the quarters to Amaewhule.

Also, the Rivers state government shared a letter notifying the House of the governor’s visit.

Reacting, Wike said:

“If you write a letter to the Assembly, won’t you wait for a response? He is playing to the gallery. He has carried television people to say he went to the story. You know it’s wrong. Can the president now stand up and go to the National Assembly? Who does that?

“He brought the Assembly Complex down. Assembly now sits in their residence. If you are coming, they have children; they will say the governor is coming today, so they have to prepare themselves.

“You cannot just go and open the gate and say: ‘I’m coming to present budget’. Nonsense. Rubbish. Who is doing that? Playing to the gallery. Nobody will hear that.”

Fubara vs Wike rift fuels Rivers crisis

Legit.ng understands that Governor Fubara and Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are at loggerheads over the control of Rivers state.

To make matters worse, on Monday, February 10, 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed Fubara's suit against several members of the state House of Assembly loyal to Wike.

The court also imposed a cost of N4 million on Fubara and ordered the money to be paid to the Rivers State House of Assembly and the factional speaker, Martin Amaewhule.

Read more about Rivers crisis:

• Breaking: Fubara reacts as Wike's loyalists locked him out of Rivers Assembly, video emerges
• Wike blows hot as he reacts to Fubara’s letter to Rivers Assembly after Supreme Court judgement

Rivers assembly issues arrest warrant against Enebeli

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Rivers House of Assembly issued a warrant of arrest against the chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Justice Adolphus Enebeli.

This follows Enebeli's alleged refusal to appear before Rivers lawmakers.

Martins Amaewhule-led house had issued the arrest warrant after the expiration of its 72-hour ultimatum for Enebeli to appear before the house.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, copy editor at Legit.ng.