By Abiola Olawale
The political crisis rocking Rivers State has continued to escalate as fresh tension is currently brewing in the oil-rich state.
It was gathered that the two factions of the Rivers State House of Assembly are currently holding parallel sittings this morning.
The faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule is currently holding its sitting at the State Assembly official quarters along Aba Road, in Port Harcourt.
Also, the faction led by Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo is holding its sitting at a Hallowed Chamber in the Government House, Port Harcourt.
The New Diplomat reports that the Oko-Jumbo faction is expected to sit to screen a commissioner nominee.
It would be recalled that on Sunday night, the 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 of the State Executive Council.
Meanwhile, it remains unclear what the Amaewhule-led lawmakers will deliberate on.
The New Diplomat reports also that this comes after the Court of Appeal judgement recognised the pro-Wike lawmakers as members of the House.
In a judgment delivered by a three-member panel, the appellate court held that the Rivers State High Court lacked jurisdiction to grant the exparte order restraining Amaewhule and 24 others from parading themselves as lawmakers.
The court ruled that Section 272(3) of the Constitution gave the Federal High Court the exclusive authority to adjudicate on the issue of whether a seat of a House of Assembly member has been vacated.
The New Diplomat reports that Rivers State has been in the news for over eight months over the cold war between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Wike.
While the reasons for the acrimony between the duo remain top secret, some insider sources had said that Wike and Fubara had been purportedly battling for control of the oil-rich state’s resources and political machinery.
The crisis has since festered, as about 25 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly including the Speaker, Rt. Hon Martins Amaewhule purportedly dumped the PDP and issued threats to impeach Fubara.
However, the lawmakers have since denied the defection rumours, saying they are still card-carry members of the PDP.
