The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Monday met with the suspended members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Wike hosted the suspended lawmakers for a dinner in the United Kingdom, UK.

This followed his earlier meeting with some of his political allies in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Sunday.

The meeting was disclosed by the minister’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, via his Facebook page.

According to Olayinka: “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 left Nigeria on Sunday night after visiting his political friends and associates in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.”

Recall that the lawmakers were suspended by President Bola Tinubu after declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State due to security concerns. Governor Sim Fubara was also suspended for six months. The emergency rule stemmed from the ongoing political crisis between Wike and Fubara.

The crisis had affected the lawmakers and the entire political structure in Rivers State.

The Supreme Court later intervened, ordering the reinstatement of the lawmakers and directing Governor Fubara to present the 2024 budget before the Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly.

However, Fubara’s attempt to present the budget was thwarted as the lawmakers barred him from accessing the Assembly complex.

The suspended lawmakers are currently in the UK for a legislative capacity-building programme.

Blessing Agbebaku and Maria Edeko on Monday retained their positions as the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Edo State of Assembly after a minor leadership shuffle.

Ekwutosblog reports that the duo who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, retained their positions following the implementation of a letter sent to the House by the state leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Agbebaku who read the letter addressed to him by the acting state chairman of APC, Jarret Tenebe, however, announced a minor change in the principal officers of the House.

Charity Aiguobarueghian, PDP, Ovia North-East I, Natasha Osawaru Irobosa, PDP, Egor, and Yekini Idaiye, PDP, Akoko-Edo I, were removed as the Majority Leader, Deputy Leader and Chief Whip of the House, respectively.

Natasha Osawuru is the lover of singer Tuface.

The trio were replaced with Ibhamawu Jonathan Aigbokhan, APC, Esan West as Majority Leader, Addeh Emakhu Isibor, APC, Esan North-East I, and Lecky Hussein Mustapha, APC, Etsako West I as Deputy Leader and Chief Whip of the House, respectively.

The position of the Deputy Chief Whip earlier given to Richard Edosa, Oredo West constituency, was eventually cancelled as there was no such position in the legislature.

The letter dated April 7, 2025, titled ‘Nomination of Principal Officers of the Edo State House of Assembly’, was signed by Tenebe, state acting chairman of APC and Lawrence Okah, the secretary.

Parts of the letter read: “We write to refer you to our earlier correspondence dated 14th March, 2025 to your office notifying you of the majority status of our party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the Edo State House of Assembly.

“Consequently, we hereby forward to you the party’s nomination of principal officers’ position in the House.

“Majority Leader, Hon Ibhamawu Jonathan Aigbokhan, Esan West constituency, Deputy Majority Leader, Hon Emakhu Addeh Isibor, Esan North-East I, and Chief Whip, Hon Lecky Hussein Mustapha, Etsako West constituency.”

The majority leader and deputy majority leader are from Edo Central Senatorial District while the Chief Whip, Lecky Hussein Mustapha, is from Edo North Senatorial District.

Recall that Richard Edosa was the only lawmaker elected on the platform of the Labour Party but he recently defected to the APC.

The Speaker, Agbebaku disclosed that the PDP would also bring its list of nominees of principal officers to the House.

He noted that his position as the Speaker and that of the Deputy Speaker were not guaranteed in the ongoing leadership change in the House.

The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure on Monday warned there is no vacuum in the party’s leadership.

Abure issued the warning ahead of the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting called by LP’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State.

Speaking at a public conference at the party secretariat, Abure described Obi and Otti as betrayals.

He noted that the Supreme Court was clear in its judgment, stressing that LP matters are internal affairs of political platforms.

According to Abure: “Tell them that there is no vacancy in our party. In the Labour Party, we don’t betray our candidates even though some betray us after giving them tickets.

“We also want to urge those who have been deceived by last week’s misleading interpretation of the Supreme Court judgment to disregard the speculation. I remain the National Chairman of the Labour Party.

“Again, the Labour Party Constitution does not recognise the setting up of a caretaker committee for party affairs.”

Ekwutosblog had reported that Obi and Otti had called for a NEC meeting scheduled to hold on Wednesday in Abuja.

The duo said the meeting would be followed by a town hall engagement with major stakeholders at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.