Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has rejected the 48-hour deadline given to him by the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly within which to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill.
This was as Governor Fubara dismissed the lawmakers’ opposition to his decision, directing outgoing sacked local government chairmen by the Supreme Court to hand over to the Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGAs).
The apex court authenticated the Amaewhule-led Assembly, which held its first session and directed the Governor to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill titled; “Budget of Inclusive Growth and Development,” within 48 hours.
The House of Assembly earlier recognised by Governor Fubara comprising four members led by Victor Oko-Jumbo as Speaker, had passed the State’s N1.1 trillion budget, which Fubara had already signed into law on January 2.
However, the verdict of the Supreme Court invalidated the passage of the budget as the apex court directed Fubara to present the budget to the lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
However, in spite of the pressure and political gangsterism being mounted by the pro-Wike lawmakers, Governor Fubara has declared that his administration would not be forced into actions that go against legal interpretations.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon Joseph Johnson, said on Monday, March 3, 2025, described the language used by the pro-Wike lawmakers as inappropriate and disrespectful to Governor Fubara.
Johnson specifically criticized the action of the Assembly members for demanding that the governor should submit the “2025 Budget” within a strict deadline, stressing that such an approach has no placed in law and was totally undemocratic.
He said that the state government was yet to receive the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment adding that it would act accordingly once it was available.
The Commissioner also defended Fubara’s directive for outgoing local government chairmen to hand over to HLGAs, saying that the process was already underway.
In the word of Johnson; “The issue of saying the governor has been ordered sounds too military. It is not a democratic language. Nobody orders anybody.
“By Friday, we will get the judgement, look at it, and I will personally call the media to say this is what we have, and this is what we are going to do. It is enough to say Au revoir,” he said.
While commenting on the local government handover, Johnson questioned why councils could not function independently when there were no elected officials in place, adding that it just like a situation where, if a commissioner is removed, the Permanent Secretary takes over in an acting capacity.
The commissioner said Fubara had shown good faith by directing the sacked LG chairmen to hand over to the HLGAs in the 23 LGs.
According to him; “But to show good faith, the governor has even gone ahead to direct the LG chairmen to hand over to the Heads of Local Government Administration in their councils.
“And they (outgoing chairman) are handing over already. It will sound disrespectful to say the governor will do this. I’m not the governor. I’m just the commissioner for information. Let us wait, Friday is just here,” he said.
