The factional Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, has shut down all state expenditures till Governor Siminalayi Fubara presents his budget before the lawmakers. The assembly made the move during plenary on Monday, following a seven-day ultimatum the lawmakers gave the governor to present his budget before the House.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The Leader of the House, Major Jack, raised the motion informing the House about the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum given to the governor to present the 2024 budget before the House.
After deliberation, the House voted to shut down the Rivers State Consolidated Revenue Account, thus preventing Governor Fubara from approving or authorizing expenditures from the state’s consolidated revenue fund.
It was also decided that ministries in the State cannot spend public funds until the presentation of the 2024 budget.
The factional assembly had on July 8 given Fubara, a seven-day deadline to resubmit the 2024 budget and also accused him of breaching the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
In a letter dated July 8, 2024, signed by Amaewhule and sent to Fubara on Monday, the House highlighted the governor’s actions that breached the Constitution.
This order was issued during the first session of the pro-Wike House after a hiatus of several months.
Fubara had previously presented the budget to the faction, with his current Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, presiding as Speaker.
Ehie and the pro-Fubara lawmakers passed the budget estimates, which the governor then signed into law.
The Rivers State’s political crisis has further deepened as two rival factions of the House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule and Victor Oko-Jumbo convened separate sessions.
The Amaewhule-led faction aligns with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
A court order initially declared the seats of the pro-Wike lawmakers vacant, but it was later overturned by the Appeal Court last week, recognising their legitimacy.
Following a seven-day ultimatum issued to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Speaker has mandated a complete cessation of all state expenditures until the 2024 budget is presented before the House led by him.
The Assembly led by Amaewhule has decided that Governor Fubara cannot approve or authorise expenditures from the state’s consolidated revenue fund, nor can ministries spend public funds until the presentation of the 2024 budget.
SaharaReporters last Monday reported that the Rivers State’s political crisis had further deepened as two rival factions of the House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule and Victor Oko-Jumbo convened separate sessions.
The Amaewhule-led faction, which aligns with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, had issued an ultimatum to Governor Fubara, demanding the re-presentation of the 2024 budget within seven days.
A court order initially declared the seats of the pro-Wike lawmakers vacant, but it was later overturned by the Appeal Court last week, recognising their legitimacy.