BREAKING: Drama as Another Factional Speaker Emerges in Rivers, Video Surfaces

• The political crisis affecting Rivers state took a new turn on Wednesday, May 8, with the emergence of Victor Oko-Jumbo as a factional speaker of the house of assembly
• Legit.ng reports that Oko-Jumbo is one of the Rivers lawmakers who are loyal to Governor Sim Fubara after the house was factionalised in late 2023
• The other faction led by Martin Amaewhule with about 25 lawmakers in its camp are allies of Fubara’s predecessor and current political foe, Nyesom Wike

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics in Nigeria.

Port Harcourt, Rivers state - There is a new twist to the political crisis rocking Rivers as a factional speaker, Victor Oko Jumbo, has emerged in the state house of assembly.

As reported by The Nation on Wednesday, May 8, the emergence of Jumbo, representing Bonny constituency, has led to the total collapse of the peace deal brokered between the parties by President Bola Tinubu, returning all involved in the impasse to the trenches.

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It is not immediately clear where the election that produced Jumbo, a staunch supporter of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, was held.

According to Leadership newspaper, Jumbo takes over from the former factional speaker of the house, Edison Ehie, who resigned as both speaker and member of the house on December 31, 2023.

Subsequently, Ehie was appointed as chief of staff (CoS) to Governor Fubara.

Legit.ng reports that the political crisis in the prominent south-south state appears to be festering despite the peace deal brokered by President Tinubu in December 2023.

Fubara's mentor, Nyesom Wike, the current minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), played a pivotal role in the emergence of the former as governor, but the two erstwhile allies later fell out as a result of disagreement over the control of political structure and governance in the oil-rich state.

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BREAKING: Drama as another factional leader emerges in Rivers, photos surface

Read more Rivers state news

• Rivers crisis: Ex-Bayelsa Gov Dickson sends crucial warning to Fubara amid rift with Wike
• "Beaten to death": Policewoman killed in front of station by angry travellers in Rivers
• Wike/Fubara feud: Rivers governor gives fresh update on political crisis, “I had seen a movie”

"Sack Fubara", council chairmen tell Rivers assembly

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the chairpersons of local government areas in Rivers state accused Governor Fubara of withholding the statutory allocations meant for the 23 council areas in the state.

The chairperson, under the aegis of Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Rivers state chapter, subsequently called for the governor's sack.

Source: Legit.ng