Rivers State is back in political tension barely two months after emergency rule ended. The fragile peace between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly appears to be collapsing again. Lawmakers, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, accused the governor of abandoning public schools and mismanaging the huge funds reportedly left by the former Sole Administrator.
During the 31st Legislative Sitting, lawmakers condemned vandalised facilities at Township School in Port Harcourt. They also criticised the worsening condition of primary and secondary schools across the state. The House said the executive had ignored repeated warnings about collapsed infrastructure.
According to the House Committee on Education, many schools lack toilets, electricity, roofs, and teachers. The committee revealed that some schools now rely on a single teacher for two classes. Legislators questioned why the state, with an alleged N600 billion balance left by Administrator Ibok Ete-Ibas, had not acted.
Speaker Amaewhule accused the government of focusing on protests instead of education. “When it is time for protest, funds will come,” he said. “But when it is time to employ teachers, there will be no money.” He said the last administration approved 10,000 teaching jobs before leaving office, yet the plan was abandoned.
He added that schools near Government House were so short-staffed that “pedestrians are called in to teach pupils.” Amaewhule warned that lawmakers would not ignore the suffering of children and teachers.
But Governor Fubara pushed back. He told traditional rulers that he would not employ workers to “please anybody.” He insisted that employment must reflect the real needs of the state. The governor said the decay in schools did not start under his administration. He also blamed political distractions for slowing progress during the crisis that triggered emergency rule.
Fubara listed ongoing work at zonal hospitals in Bori, Ahoada, Omoku and Degema. He said his administration remained focused despite the turbulence. “Our vision is clear,” he said. “Rivers State must be safe, healthy and stable.”
However, the political storm deepened when the Assembly passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Lawmakers urged him to run for a second term and pledged loyalty to FCT minister Nyesom Wike. They directed members to begin mobilising supporters for Tinubu’s 2027 bid.
The endorsement sparked widespread backlash on social media. Atiku Abubakar’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, accused the Assembly of abandoning governance. He said the resolution had “no direct bearing” on Rivers people. He mocked the lawmakers for urging Tinubu to run without clarifying “whether he should run to Bourdillon or Iragbiji.”
Other users described the endorsement as “misplaced priority.” M
any questioned why lawmakers ignored the kidnapping of five Rivers State University students while focusing on Wike and Tinubu.
The renewed friction now threatens the state’s political stability again. Many residents fear another breakdown that could invite fresh federal intervention.