Martin Amaewhule, the leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, wrote to Governor Siminalayi Fubara on Monday to prevent him from using money from the state's Consolidated Revenue Fund. This came up as a result of the MPs who support Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike giving the governor a seven-day ultimatum to submit the 2024 budget or face consequences.
During a conversation called by President Bola Tinubu to bring the factions of Wike and Fubara together in Abuja, the new budget presentation was one of the terms for peace that were agreed upon. In 2023, Fubara brought an over N800 billion Appropriations Bill for the 2024 fiscal year to the legislators that supported him, then led by Edison Ehie, for approval.
The four-member Assembly approved the budget and sent it to Fubara for ratification barely twenty-four hours after it was first presented. After Ehie, the factional Speaker of the House at the time, resigned, Fubara named him Chief of Staff in Government House, Port Harcourt. The Amaewhule-led Assembly awaited the governor's budget resubmission following the peace accord.
But when the situation worsened, the pro-Fubarak members chose Victor Oko-Jumbo to be the factional Speaker. After the members defected to the All Progressives Congress, the court prevented them from serving as state legislators, and the governor announced that they were no longer recognized by the law. Following an appeal by the politicians, the Court of Appeal overturned the high court's decision on July 4. It restored the pro-Wike lawmakers to their positions in the state House of Assembly. During their meeting on Monday, May 9, they gave Fubara a deadline of one week to produce the budget.
At its fourth Legislative Sitting, which took place at the Assembly Quarters on Aba Road on Monday, the Assembly declared that Fubara had broken the Constitution by using state funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund without a state appropriations bill. The decision to prevent Fubara from receiving any more funding was made in response to a comment made by Major Jack, the House Leader, according to a statement sent by the Speaker's media assistant, Martin Wachukwu.
At its fourth Legislative Sitting, which took place at the Assembly Quarters on Aba Road on Monday, the Assembly declared that Fubara had broken the Constitution by using state funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund without a state appropriations bill. The decision to prevent Fubara from receiving any more funding was made in response to a comment made by Major Jack, the House Leader, according to a statement sent by the Speaker's media assistant, Martin Wachukwu. "Given the combined provisions of Sections 121 and 122 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered, Governor Siminialayi Fubara has flagrantly continued to violate the Constitution by spending from the state's Consolidated Revenue Fund without an Appropriation Law," Jack brought up to the Assembly.
During the House Leader's statement, members unanimously and strongly denounced Governor Fubara's willful disregard for the Constitution, even after being repeatedly reminded of the consequences of his actions. As a result, they expressed their support for the immediate suspension of all state spending from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. "It is regrettable that Governor Fubara now views a violation of the Constitution's provisions and court rulings as a method of governance," Amaewhule stated. The House would not stand by while the governor continuously violates the Constitution, which he took oath to defend, in his capacity as representative of the people.
As a result, the House decided to notify Fubara in writing that all state spending from the Consolidated Revenue Fund had been stopped.
The House also decided to inform banks, local and international donor agencies, the Federal Government, and its pertinent agencies about the development and advise them not to do business with the Rivers State government until the issues surrounding the 2024 Appropriations Law are resolved. At the time of filing this story on Monday evening, our correspondent was unable to get through to Joseph Johnson, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, as he was not returning calls to his mobile phone or responding to texts. In the meantime, the G-23 group in Rivers State has urged Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, a federal legislator, to refrain from meddling in state politics.
