Amid the ongoing demolition of the State House of Assembly complex by the Rivers State Government, Gov. Siminalayi Fubara on Wednesday morning presented a N800 billion 2024 budget estimates to some lawmakers at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
The governor had presented the budget to the lawmakers with Mr Edison EhieEhie as the factional Speaker.
Persecondnews earlier reported that about six bulldozers had driven into the premises of the Assembly complex and started the demolition under a tight security.
The demolition is coming about two months after fire gutted the complex and 72 hours after the 27 lawmakers loyal to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The 27 members of the 32-member legislature are said to be loyal also to a factional Speaker, Mr Martins Amaewhule, an ally of Wike.
In October, the Assembly under Amaewhule had served an impeachment notice on Fubara and removed Mr Edison EhieEhie as the House Leader.
In retaliation, some lawmakers loyal to Fubara immediately impeached Amaewhule and “elected” EhieEhie the new Speaker.
A Rivers High Court sitting in Port Harcourt subsequently restrained the Amaewhule-led group from forcefully gaining access into the assembly complex, pending the hearing of the suit before it.
Earlier on Wednesday morning, EhieEhie had led lawmakers loyal to the governor to hold a sitting before the demolition began.
The factional speaker had during the session said the complex was due for repairs following the explosion that rocked it on October 30, 2023.
He said the governor would provide an alternative building for them to sit for their legislative businesses pending the reconstruction of the complex.
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