The suspended members of the Rivers State House of Assembly met with Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, or FCT, on Monday.
In the UK, Wike arranged a supper for the parliamentarians who had been suspended.
This came after he met with some of his political friends in the capital of Rivers State, Port Harcourt, on Sunday.
Lere Olayinka, the minister’s communications assistant, revealed the meeting on 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.”
Because of security concerns, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended the lawmakers. Sim Fubara, the governor, was also placed on six months of suspension. Wike and Fubara’s ongoing political dispute was the reason for the emergency rule.
The issue has impacted Rivers State’s whole political system, including the lawmakers.
Later, the Supreme Court stepped in and ordered the lawmakers to be reinstated. It also instructed Governor Fubara to present the 2024 budget to the Assembly, which was led by Martins Amaewhule.
Nevertheless, the MPs denied Fubara entry to the Assembly premises, which prevented him from presenting the budget.
The suspended parliamentarians are presently participating in a legislative capacity-building program in the United Kingdom.
