Gov Fubara

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has invalidated the N800 billion budget approved by the Edison Ehie-led group of the Rivers State House of Assembly and endorsed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The court supported the suit filed by the Assembly and Speaker Martin Amaewhule against Fubara, seeking an injunction to prevent the governor from obstructing the Assembly’s functions under his leadership as speaker, among other claims.

During the prolonged political crisis in the oil-rich state on December 13, 2023, amid the demolition of the Assembly Complex, Fubara presented the 2024 budget proposal of N800bn to five members of the State Assembly, led by Edison Ehie, at the Government House in Port Harcourt. This occurred after the Assembly Complex was demolished by the state government and a court restrained Ehie’s contender, Martins Amaewhule, from using the Assembly Complex.

Ehie and other lawmakers aligned with Fubara passed the budget estimates, and the governor signed it into law, stating that it aimed to promote economic development, inclusive growth, and address socio-economic inequality in the state. Subsequently, Ehie resigned, and Amaewhule was reinstated as the Assembly’s Speaker after meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.

Amaewhule and 25 lawmakers loyal to ex-Governor Nyesom Wike later demanded that Fubara present the 2024 budget estimates to the Assembly again, leading to the court proceedings. On Monday, Ken Njemanze, Amaewhule’s counsel, accused the governor of interfering with the functions of the state lawmakers, contrary to the doctrine of the separation of powers. The court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, emphasizing that the governor cannot exceed his powers and restrained the National Assembly from accepting any requests from the governor. The judge declared Amaewhule as the valid Speaker of the Rivers State Assembly and nullified the budget approval by Ehie and four other lawmakers, calling it a nullity.