- The atmosphere was tense as security was heightened at the Rivers House of Assembly Quarters during the plenary
The Rivers State House of Assembly on Monday ordered Governor Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2025 budget again within 48-hour.
The lawmakers issued the notice during Monday’s plenary session, the first after the Supreme Court ruling last Friday which reinstated the Martin Amaewhule-led assembly.
The atmosphere was tense as security was heightened at the Rivers House of Assembly Quarters during the plenary.
Recall that Governor Fubara signed the ₦1.1 trillion appropriation bill into law on January 2nd, 2025, after presenting it to the lawmakers led by Victor Oko-Jumbo.
However, on Friday, the Supreme Court directed the governor to re-present the 2024 budget to a properly constituted Assembly under the leadership of Amaewhule.
Fubara had presented the 2024 budget to four members of the Assembly, led by Edison Ehie, the current Chief of Staff to the Governor, after the lawmakers declared the seats of Amaewhule and 26 others vacant.
This followed the defection of Amaewhule and 26 others from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, an action they now deny.
The apex court held that Amaewhule and the other 26 members remain lawmakers until their status is determined by the court.
The Supreme Court, in the same vein, ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to withhold allocations meant for Rivers State until the government complies with orders.
On their first sitting following the ruling, the Rivers State Assembly requested that Governor Fubara present the budget, titled the ‘Budget of Inclusive Growth and Development’.
On Sunday, Fubara during a statewide broadcast said his government would implement the judgement of the Supreme Court without reservations despite the fact that he disagrees with the ruling.
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