The Supreme Court has declared the 2024 appropriation budget passed by pro-Fubara lawmakers and set aside the presentation and passage of the Rivers budget.
The Court stressed that the appeal filed by Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers State, challenging the leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule.
While dismissing the appeal, a five-member panel headed by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji imposed a two million naira cost on the governor, which must be paid to the Rivers State House of Assembly as the first respondent and Martin Amaewhule as the second respondent.
The dismissal of the appeal by Fubara was hinged on the withdrawal of the suit by his counsel, Yusuf Ali.
Since more than 25 members who were supporters of previous governor Nyesom Wike left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023, the Rivers Assembly has been enmeshed in a lengthy dispute.
Following that, members of the opposition party led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, who was believed to be loyal to Fubara, challenged Amaewhule’s leadership of the House.
Since then, Fubara has disregarded the Amaewhule faction and transacted state business with the Oko-Jumbo group. In October of last year, the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld the Federal High Court’s ruling that invalidated the N800 billion 2024 budget that Amaewhule’s rival group had passed.
