By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Port Harcourt
Six months after its last plenary, the Rivers State House of Assembly has resumed legislative duties, marking a turning point in the state’s political recovery from emergency rule.
The lawmakers, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, reconvened on Thursday at the Assembly Residential Complex along the Aba–Port Harcourt Expressway. Their last sitting was held on March 12, 2025, a week before President Bola Tinubu imposed emergency rule and suspended all democratic institutions in the state.
The resumption of plenary is being seen by political observers as the first institutional confirmation that normal governance has returned to Rivers following the handover by former Sole Administrator, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd).
Legislative activity, which was frozen during the crisis, is expected to resume with deliberations on pending bills, budgetary oversight, and policy matters shelved since March.
While lawmakers settled back into their roles, Governor Siminalayi Fubara was yet to resume at Government House, Port Harcourt, as of Thursday afternoon. His supporters, however, thronged the government seat, awaiting his formal return.
The Assembly’s return sets the stage for a renewed working relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government. Analysts say how both institutions coordinate in the coming weeks will determine how quickly Rivers State stabilizes politically and economically after months of uncertainty.