The Rivers State House of Assembly is currently being demolished amidst the crisis rocking the legislative arm of the oil rich south south state.
Trouble started when some lawmakers suspected to be loyal to the former governor of the State, Nyesom Wike attempted to impeach the incumbent Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
On October 20th, the assembly complex was set ablaze by arsonist.
The demolition which is being done under tight security started after the Speaker recognised by the court Edison Ehie, led other lawmakers loyal to the governor to hold a sitting early on Wednesday
Confirming the demolition, the Rivers State government claimed responsibility for the Wednesday morning demolition of the House of Assembly.
The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, said the demolition was necessitated by the structural defects from the 29 October explosion and fire incident that “rendered the main building unfit for human use.”
In a statement he released as the complex was being pulled down, Johnson said experts advised the government to discontinue the use of the building.
“After the assessment of the integrity of the complex, the experts warned the government that continuing to use the building in its present state would be disastrous,” he disclosed.
The commissioner said the Assembly complex would be rebuilt but gave no timeline. In the meantime, the Rivers State government has provided an alternative venue for lawmakers to sit.
The pro-Fubara lawmakers are currently sitting in a yet to be disclosed location to consider the 2024 budget of the State, while according to NTA, Edison Ehie has called on the State government to finish the reconstruction in a record time.
