The Rivers State govt has initiated the demolition of the State Assembly complex.

Demolition activities are currently underway at the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, with over 10 bulldozers deployed to dismantle the entire structure. This follows the devastating fire incident that occurred on October 29, 2023, leaving the complex severely damaged.

In the aftermath of the fire, 27 out of the 32 state lawmakers accused Speaker Edison Ehie and three other legislators of being responsible for the blaze. Consequently, Ehie and the three others were suspended from the Assembly on October 30, 2023.

In an unexpected turn of events, Ehie emerged as the factional Speaker of the House during a separate session, where he, in turn, suspended Martins Amaewhule as the Speaker, along with other unnamed lawmakers. This internal conflict escalated further.

On December 12, 2023, the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt ruled in favor of Ehie, declaring him the authentic Speaker of the House. The ongoing crisis within the Rivers State House of Assembly is rooted in the discord between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.