The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, has taken a drastic step to ensure that Governor Siminalayi Fubara presents the 2024 budget to the lawmakers. In a move to enforce compliance, the assembly has shut down all expenditures by the governor’s administration until the budget is presented.
The decision was reached during a plenary session on Monday, following a seven-day ultimatum given to the governor to submit the budget. The ultimatum was issued on July 8, after the assembly accused Fubara of breaching the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
According to sources, the House has written to Fubara, highlighting specific actions that allegedly contravene the constitution. The letter, signed by Amaewhule and dated July 8, detailed the governor’s alleged infractions and demanded that he rectify the situation.
The move by the assembly is seen as a response to Fubara’s earlier attempt to present the budget without their approval. The governor had presented the budget estimates to a faction of lawmakers led by his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, who presided over the session. Ehie and his colleagues passed the budget, which was subsequently signed into law by Fubara.
The development is seen as part of a larger political crisis between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. The ongoing power struggle between the two politicians has led to several attempts at resolution, with little success.
In response to the latest development, the assembly has taken steps to ensure that all expenditures by the governor’s administration are halted until the budget is presented and approved by lawmakers. This move is expected to have far-reaching implications for governance in Rivers State and will likely lead to further tensions in the political landscape.
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