The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, has given Governor Siminalayi Fubara a 7-day ultimatum to re-present the 2024 budget.
This directive emerged from the first sitting of the pro-Wike faction of the House after several months of inactivity. Concurrently, another faction, led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, held a parallel session.
Governor Fubara initially presented the budget to the House faction loyal to him, with Edison Ehie acting as Speaker.
The pro-Fubara lawmakers approved the budget estimates, and the governor subsequently signed it into law, highlighting its focus on economic development, inclusive growth, and reducing socio-economic inequality in the state.
The crisis within the Rivers State House of Assembly shows no signs of resolution as recent sitting by the Amaewhule-led Assembly held amidst a Court of Appeal judgment, nullifying the expulsion of Amaewhule and 24 other lawmakers from the Assembly by the Rivers State High Court.
In May, Justice Charles Wali had issued an ex parte order barring Amaewhule and 24 others from serving as Assembly members, following a motion by Victor Oko-Jumbo.
However, last week, a three-member panel of the appellate court ruled that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to issue such an order.
The Court of Appeal clarified that Section 272(3) of the Constitution grants the Federal High Court exclusive powers to determine whether a House of Assembly seat has become vacant, thereby excluding state high courts from this jurisdiction. Consequently, the ex parte order was declared null and void.
Despite the appellate court’s ruling, Victor Oko-Jumbo, during a plenary session, expressed his faction’s disagreement with the decision.
He asserted that the Court of Appeal erred in its judgment, which stated that the Rivers State High Court lacked jurisdiction in the matter.
Oko-Jumbo announced that his faction had instructed their lawyers to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, challenging the appellate court’s judgment delivered on July 4, 2024.
This move indicates that the legal battle and political tension within the Rivers State Assembly are set to continue.
