Wike-led Group Floors Fubara, 4-Member House
There is more trouble ahead for embattled Rivers State Governor Siminilaye Fubara, as an Appeal Court Sitting in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, has ruled the passage of his government’s N800 billion 2024 budget by four members of the House of Assembly Illegal.
The Court also upheld Hon. Martin Amaewhule as the legitimate Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, in a unanimous ruling by a three-member panel, which also validated the status of the Amaewhule-led lawmakers as bona fide representatives of the state.
The court dismissed an appeal by Governor Siminalaye Fubara challenging a January 22 Federal High Court decision, which nullified Rivers State’s 2024 budget on the grounds that it was presented to an incomplete legislative body.
The court found that Governor Fubara violated Section 91 of the 1999 Constitution by submitting the budget to only four out of 31 lawmakers, bypassing the majority of the Assembly.
The political rift within the Assembly stemmed from tensions between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
In the conflict, Fubara aligned with a faction led by Hon. Edison Ehie and excluded the Amaewhule-led group, loyal to Wike, from budget deliberations. Despite the budget being swiftly passed by the Ehie faction, the court ruled this process invalid.
Following a peace deal brokered by President Bola Tinubu, both Fubara and Wike reconciled, with the agreement restoring Amaewhule as the Speaker. The Ehie faction withdrew its legal claims and relinquished positions in the Assembly.
However, while Fubara dropped his legal challenges, the pro-Wike lawmakers pursued their case, leading to the court’s decision to invalidate the budget.
The appellate court agreed with the Federal High Court’s ruling that Governor Fubara had overstepped his authority by dismantling the Assembly complex, withholding funds, and redeploying Assembly staff. It also rejected arguments for National Assembly intervention, stating that conditions for such involvement were not met.
In its final ruling, the Court of Appeal ordered Governor Fubara to release all funds due to the Rivers State House of Assembly and imposed a fine of N500,000 on the governor for each of the respondents involved in the appeal.
