The Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2025 appropriation bill.
The demand, made during the faction’s plenary session on Monday, further underscores the deepening political rift between Governor Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. The Amaewhule-led lawmakers remain loyal to Wike.
Notably, in January 2025, Governor Fubara had already signed the budget into law after it was passed by the rival faction led by Victor Oko-Jumbo. However, the pro-Wike lawmakers now insist that the governor must formally present the budget before them.
The political tension in Rivers State has escalated, with Fubara recently announcing that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) will conduct fresh local government elections following recent Supreme Court judgments on the state’s leadership crisis.
In a statewide broadcast on Sunday, Fubara reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the rule of law, stating that his administration will review and implement the Supreme Court rulings once it receives the certified true copies of the judgments, expected by Friday, March 7, 2025.
