By Comfort Olayinka
The political crisis in Rivers State, Nigeria, took a dramatic dimension on Wednesday, as Lawmakers loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara elected Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo as Speaker, State House of Assembly.
This development came barely 48 hours after Governor Fubara declared that the majority 27 Members of the House, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), as non-existent.
The opposition APC has also, in the last 48 hours, instructed its Members at the state Parliament, who are now the majority, to impeach the Governor.
Baring that in mind, some Lawmakers, according to a source, converged on Wednesday and elected RT. Hon. Jumbo, a ranking Member representing Bonny Constituency as the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly.
Oko becomes the third Speaker under the current administration after Hon. Edison Ehie and Hon. Martin Amaewhule.
Hon. Amaewhule, an ally of the former Governor and Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ezemo Nyesom Wike, was impeached at the wee of the crisis last year, giving room for Hon. Edison, who later resigned in December 2023, shortly after the peace accord between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, to pave way for Hon. Amaewhule to return to his seat as Speaker, until the Wednesday development.
The Wednesday arrangements, which was said to have taken place at the Government House, also saw Hon. Sokari Goodboy emerged as the Majority Leader of the Assembly.
