Rivers Assembly, Under Reinstated Speaker Amaewhule, Gives Governor Fubara 48 Hours to Present 2025 Budget

The Rivers State House of Assembly has given Governor Siminalayi Fubara 48 hours to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to lawmakers under reinstated Speaker Martin Amaewhule. The directive was issued in a letter to the governor following a resolution passed during the 130th Legislative Day of the Second Session of the Tenth Assembly on Monday, March 3, 2025.

The Assembly’s decision follows a Supreme Court judgment on February 28, which ordered the suspension of federal allocations to the Rivers State Government and barred spending from the Consolidated Revenue Fund until a valid Appropriation Bill is passed.

That pursuant to the order of the Supreme Court in Suit No.: SC/CV/1174/2024 for the stoppage of statutory federal allocations to the Rivers State Government and the halting of spending from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State pending the passage of an Appropriation Bill, you are requested to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the House in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

That the House expects you to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill within 48 hours, the House stated.

Fubara signed the ₦1.1 trillion budget into law on January 2 after presenting it to a four-member faction by Victor Oko-Jumbo. However, the Supreme Court ruled the process invalid, stating that it excluded 28 lawmakers. The court condemned the governor’s actions as unconstitutional and described them as “dictatorship and brigandage.” It also criticised the demolition of the Assembly complex, calling it an abuse of power meant to silence lawmakers.

In addition to the budget directive, the Assembly announced plans to amend the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law No. 2 of 2018. Lawmakers say the move will align these laws with the Electoral Act and pave the way for fresh local government elections.

They also reminded the governor that the 1999 Constitution, as amended, prohibits the administration of local governments by unelected officials. This contradicts Fubara’s recent directive for Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGAs) to take over from outgoing council chairmen.

The lawmakers urged the governor to act swiftly to resolve the financial crisis caused by the lack of a valid Appropriation Law. They warned that failure to comply could worsen the state’s governance.

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