Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, hosted a dinner for some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly currently on suspension. The event took place in the United Kingdom, where the lawmakers are attending a legislative training program.
This information was shared on social media by Lere Olayinka, Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media. In a post made on Monday, Olayinka wrote, “Yesterday, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, hosted Rivers State House of Assembly members who are in the United Kingdom for Legislative Capacity Building, to a dinner.”
Wike had departed Nigeria on Sunday after a series of political meetings in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State. While the dinner may seem like a casual social gathering, its timing and the identities of the guests have drawn significant attention due to the ongoing political crisis in the state.
The lawmakers hosted by Wike were led by Martins Amaewhule, who has been identified as the speaker of the group. They are participating in a legislative tour that began last Friday. Amaewhule reportedly said the tour would help them learn about global legislative practices and improve their performance back home.
This visit and dinner come amid a larger political conflict in Rivers State. President Bola Tinubu recently declared a state of emergency in the state following an intense power struggle between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Wike. As part of the emergency measures, the president temporarily removed Fubara, his deputy Prof. Ngozi Odu, and several lawmakers from office.
In their place, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff, was appointed to manage the state’s affairs as a sole administrator for six months.
