Rivers Assembly Passes Resolution, Urges Fubara to Re-present 2024 Budget

The Rivers House of Assembly, on Tuesday, passed a resolution urging Governor Siminalayi Fubara to re-present the state 2024 budget and the medium term expenditure framework for consideration.

This followed the adoption of a motion by the Speaker Martin Amaewhu during the 90th plenary of the House at the legislators’ quarters, Port Harcourt.

Presenting the motion, Mr Amaewhu said it was worrisome that the House had yet to receive the budget and the expenditure framework from the executive.

He said that the governor must present them for approval in line with the 1999 Constitution.

Mr Fubara had on 13 December presented a budget of N800 billion for 2024 to a four-man House of Assembly for approval.

The governor signed the budget into law on 14 December, barely 24 hours after it was presented to the lawmakers.

However, under the peace accord facilitated by President Bola Tinubu, Mr Fubara was expected to re-present the budget as part of conditions to end the political crisis in the state.

The governor had agreed to implement the peace deal, saying that it was not a death sentence.

Mr Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, were locked in a fierce political battle which had the House of Assembly split into two factions, with four lawmakers pledging their loyalty to the governor and the other 26 or so lawmakers standing in solidarity with Mr Wike who is the minister of the FCT.

The pro-Wike lawmakers had defected from the PDP to the APC, apparently to perfect the then impeachment plot against Mr Fubara. The governor and the four lawmakers loyal to him fought back, and were able to get a favourable court judgment which paved the way for them (the four lawmakers) to take control of the assembly and then declared vacant the seats of the defected lawmakers.

The first attempt to initiate an impeachment proceeding against Mr Fubara led to the bombing of the assembly complex, which was later demolished by the state government.

(NAN)