Rivers Assembly holds first plenary after lifting of emergency rule

The Rivers State House of Assembly will reconvene on Thursday at 10 a.m. for its first plenary session since the end of the six-month emergency rule imposed on the state.

The sitting, which is expected to be presided over by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, will take place at the Conference Hall of the Legislative Quarters on Aba Road, Port Harcourt. The lawmakers had been holding sessions at the venue temporarily during the political crisis that engulfed the state.

The development followed President Bola Tinubu’s announcement on Wednesday, lifting the state of emergency and restoring democratic governance in Rivers State. The President also reinstated Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the suspended Assembly members, bringing an end to months of direct federal control in the state.

Lawmakers are expected to use Thursday’s plenary to chart the legislative direction of the Assembly as governance resumes fully. The session is also anticipated to signal the Assembly’s position on reconciliation and stability after months of political turbulence that necessitated federal intervention.

Political observers noted that the Assembly’s return will be critical in shaping how quickly Rivers State can recover from the disruptions of the past half-year.