Photo: Rt Hon Martins Amaehule, Speaker, Rivers Assembly
By Deborah Sunday
Buoyed by last week’s Supreme Court judgment affirming its legitimacy as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Martins Amaehule, reconvened the assembly on Monday morning and immediately issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2025 appropriation bill to the house for consideration.
It would be recalled that Fubara had been locked in a political tussle with Amaehule and 26 of the 31-member assembly over the leadership of the house. The 27 lawmakers are loyal to Fubara’s estranged godfather, Nyesom Wike, who is the Minister of FCT.
The governor had recognised and presented the budget to the illegal Victor Oko-Jumbo faction, which along with three other members, is loyal to him. The four lawmakers had ‘sat’ and passed the budget, as well as screened commissioners and other appointees.
However, the apex court, in a ruling last week, had berated the governor and ordered that the budget returned to the legitimate assembly led by Amaehule. It also stopped the Central Bank of Nigeria and Accountant General of the Federation from releasing the state’s FAAC allocation until the right thing is done.
>>>>Details to follow
