Rivers crisis: I won’t stop Assembly from carrying out its duties – Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, says he cannot stop Rivers State House of Assembly from carrying out its constitutional duties.

This was as he has again thrown his weight behind the Assembly in its tussle with Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Fubara and the House led by Martin-Amaewhule have made claims and counter-claims over the presentation of the state’s 2025 budget.

Their impasse came amid a Supreme Court verdict, recognising the lawmakers as legitimate members of the Rivers State Assembly.

The development was said to have led the House to ask Fubara to re-present the state’s 2025 budget which he had presented to the sect of lawmakers led by Victor Oko-Jumbo.

Following the tussle between the legislature and the governor who accused the lawmakers of frustrating his attempts to re-present the budget, Wike has backed the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“Let me tell you, I’m not going to stop the Assembly from performing their constitutional duties. The Assembly should be allowed to perform their constitutional role,” Wike said on Saturday during a Thanksgiving Service held in Abalama, Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.

“The Assembly people should do their work. Whatever they deem necessary and fit, that is constitutional, they should do. I’m not going to stop anybody from carrying out their functions. I will not do that,” the minister said.

Wike accused Fubara of seizing allowances and other benefits accrued to members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The immediate past governor of the state also claimed that Fubara was deceived into recognising a group of lawmakers and was wrongly assured that nothing would happen.