The Rivers State House of Assembly has reversed its earlier decision to declare the seats of three lawmakers loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara vacant, paving the way for their return to the legislature.

The decision was taken during plenary on Monday following appeals by the lawmakers, who were suspended in October 2023 amid the political crisis that rocked the state.

The affected lawmakers are Victor Oko-Jumbo, representing Bonny Constituency; Sokari Goodboy Sokari, representing Ahoada West Constituency; and Timothy Oruibienimigha, representing Opobo/Nkoro Constituency.

The media aide to the Speaker, Martins Wachukwu, disclosed this in a statement titled ‘Rivers Assembly Rescinds Decision on Three Vacant Seats’ issued on Monday.

According to the statement, the lawmakers submitted separate letters of appeal to the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, apologising for their failure to resume legislative duties after their suspension was lifted in December 2023.

The lawmakers reportedly explained that they did not receive official communication informing them that the suspension had been lifted following presidential intervention.

The statement said members of the Assembly, after considering the appeals, supported the request and urged the House to reverse its earlier decision.Following a vote in favour of the motion, the Assembly rescinded its earlier resolution declaring the three seats vacant.

The Speaker subsequently invited the lawmakers to resume sitting and rejoin their colleagues.The statement recalled that four lawmakers were suspended on October 30, 2023, during the political crisis in Rivers State.

Their suspension was lifted on December 20, 2023, following a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and the state’s political stakeholders.

However, the three lawmakers allegedly failed to attend subsequent legislative sittings, prompting the Assembly, on October 15, 2024, to declare their seats vacant.

On Sunday, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, led members of the Assembly and the 23 local government chairmen to a meeting with Fubara at the governor’s private residence.

The meeting reportedly involved the Senator Magnus Abe-led reconciliation committee and members of the Rainbow Coalition, with discussions centred on resolving lingering political differences between Wike and Fubara.