The unfolding political crisis in Rivers State took a dramatic turn as the State House of Assembly Complex was demolished on Wednesday. Concurrently, Governor Siminalayi Fubara presented the 2024 budget estimates of N800 billion to the Edison Ehie-led faction at the Government House.
This development unfolded amidst the ongoing legal battle over the Speakership between Ehie and Martins Amaewhule.
The budget presentation was relocated to a hall in the Government House due to purported “renovation” work at the state assembly complex, initiated on Wednesday morning. Notably absent were members who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Former House Speaker Adams Dabotorudinma and ex-Deputy Speaker Marshal Uwom were among the attendees.
The state government orchestrated the complex’s demolition, commencing around 6:45 am, with the governor leading a convoy of approximately 10 bulldozers on heavy-duty flatbed lorries into the Assembly premises. Tight security measures were in place along Moscow road, completely cordoning off both sides to vehicular traffic. Notably, there was no repetition of the tear-gassing incident from October 30.
Commissioner of Police Tunji Disu convened a security meeting at the Command headquarters, with a detailed briefing promised later in the day. Despite the heightened security presence, most facilities along Moscow road remained accessible.
The Rivers State Government defended the complex’s renovation, citing advice from consultants who deemed it uninhabitable following a recent fire. The decision to demolish and reconstruct aimed to fortify the building’s structural integrity.
Commissioner for Information Joe Johnson conveyed this rationale during the presentation of the 2024 budget at the Government House, expressing the government’s commitment to expeditiously address the renovation process.
