The Digest:
The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, has publicly accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration of gross negligence in education, alleging that funds are available for political protests but not for teachers, in a move that threatens to shatter a mediated truce.
Key Points:
Speaker Martin Amaewhule condemned the “abandonment” of public primary and secondary schools, citing cases of one teacher handling two classes and schools without toilets or security.
He accused the state government of having “misplaced priorities,” claiming money is found for political protests but not for employing teachers or rehabilitating schools.
Amaewhule asserted that over N600 billion was left in state coffers by the previous administration, making lack of funds an unacceptable excuse.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara responded indirectly, stating his commitment to education and promising that infrastructure would be prioritized in the 2026 budget.
He dismissed reports of delayed employment for 10,000 workers as “false
information.”
The conflict highlights the ongoing tension between the executive and legislature in Rivers State, months after a political crisis that required federal intervention.
The Speaker’s alignment with former Governor Nyesom Wike suggests the truce between Wike and Governor Fubara may be weakening.
The confrontation transforms schoolhouses into political battlegrounds, where the education of children becomes both a point of legitimate grievance and a potent weapon in a deeper war for control.
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