The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued 48 hours’ notice to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2025 budget, adding that the assembly would proceed on a 12-week recess beginning on Friday.
Penpushing reports that the assemblymen led by the Speaker, Rt Hon Martin Amaewhule gave the directive on Monday, its first plenary after the Supreme Court judgment that restored them.
The lawmakers citing Friday’s Supreme Court judgement, which invalidated last year’s local government election also notified the Governor that they would commence amending Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law No. 2 of 2018 to be in tandem with the Electoral Act.
Penpushing further reports that the lawmakers, in a letter addressed to the Governor, added that the Supreme Court judgement on Local Government Autonomy in 2023 prohibits the running of local governments by heads of local government administrations.
The record, however, has it that the state has been enmeshed in a political crisis after Fubara fell out with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Penpushing also reports that the crisis split the legislature into two factions, with 27 lawmakers pitched tents with Wike, while four are loyal to the Govenor, however, the crisis worsened in December 2023 after the pro-Wike lawmakers reportedly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), prompting the declaration of their seats as vacant.
The Governor, it is recalled took advantage of the opportunity, presented the budget to the four lawmakers loyal to him, and assented to it within 24 hours, prompting a legal challenge by Wike’s allies.
Penpushing reports that the legal tussles which followed the development were on Friday finally decided by the Supreme Court in favour of the pro-Wike lawmakers, and the Governor in reaction said even though he disagreed with the verdict, he would implement it without reservations.
The Governor in a statewide broadcast, thereafter, ordered the council chairmen to hand over to the heads of local government administrations in their respective domains on Monday.
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