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In a developing incident, two loyalists of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, including Sokari Goodboy, the lawmaker representing the Aboada West Constituency in the state House of Assembly, were reportedly arrested in Abuja alongside a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Ezebunwo Ichemati.
The arrests allegedly took place outside the venue of the National Executive Committee meeting of the PDP in Abuja on Thursday. According to a viral video featuring a member of Fubara’s media team, the arrests were ordered by a local government chairman in Rivers State.
The spokesperson stated, “All of us, the media team that came from Rivers State, were together. The next thing – he (the LG Chairman) pointed out that they should arrest the present serving Assembly member who is representing the good people of Aboada West. The next thing that came up again, he started giving them instructions he attacked Ezebunwo and tore his shirt. We don’t even know what we are doing here because he has ordered that they should arrest all of us.”
It was reported that the security operatives took away the two governor’s loyalists following the incident.
Jerry Omotsegunwa, the Governor’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media, confirmed the incident and urged for the immediate release of the arrested individuals. Omotsegunwa emphasized that their presence was in solidarity and questioned the basis for their arrest, especially considering that many governors attended the event with their supporters.
Of the current 31 lawmakers of the State House of Assembly, 27 led by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, are aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, while the remaining four are loyal to Governor Fubara. One of these lawmakers, Edison Ehie, resigned from the State House of Assembly and was appointed as Fubara’s Chief of Staff amidst political tensions in the state.
The State House of Assembly comprises 32 constituencies, with one vacancy following the death of Dinebari Loolo, who represented the Khana Constituency 2 in 2023.
Efforts to reach the Force Public Relations Officer, Adejobi Olumuyiwa, for comment on the arrests were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
