The Rivers State House of Assembly has given Governor Siminalayi Fubara 48 hours to present the 2025 budget to the lawmakers.
The directive was issued during Monday’s plenary session, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule.
The lawmakers cited the Supreme Court’s order to justify their demand, emphasizing that the governor must present the 2025 Appropriation Bill within the stipulated timeframe.
“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 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,” the lawmakers said in a resolution signed by the Speaker Martin Amaewhule. “That the House expects you to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill within 48 hours”.
The lawmakers drew the governor’s attention to “the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended; the Rivers State Local Government (Amendment) Law, 2023 as well as the Judgement of the Supreme Court in Suit No.: SC/CV/343/2024 that prohibits the administration of Local Governments by HLGAs or any other persons other than democratically elected officials”.
The House resolved to go on recess by Friday because they have been working for the past two years nonstop.
Interestingly, there was no mention of the 2024 budget during plenary.
Governor Fubara had on January 2nd, signed a ₦1.1 trillion 2025 Budget into law after presenting it to the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led lawmakers.
But months after, specifically last week, the Supreme Court ordered Martin Amaewhule and the group of lawmakers he is leading to resume sitting as legitimate members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
That move ended months of tussle over the leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly with two sets of lawmakers laying claim to the legislative body.
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM VERILY NEWS
