The continued legislative dispute in Rivers State has continued to steer controversy with regard to which party is the authentic legislative arm to perform such duties.
However, despite these uncertainties, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara is about to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Victor Oko-Jumbo.
Since taking office in May 2023, Governor Fubara has presented two budgets, both of which have been clouded by legislative issues.
At their plenary just today, Oko-Jumbo, the group’s speaker, presented Governor Fubara’s letter asking for authorization to propose the appropriation measure today.
A four-member Assembly headed by Edison Ehie, who was acknowledged as Speaker by a State High Court, heard Governor Fubara’s first budget presentation last year.
This followed the defection of 27 Assembly members, including then-Speaker Martin Amaewhule, from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Amid legal battles and political intervention, including input from President Bola Tinubu, Ehie eventually resigned from the Assembly and was subsequently appointed Chief of Staff to the Government House.
The crisis deepened as the three remaining members of the House after Ehie’s exit maintained their legitimacy, citing Section 109 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which they argued is self-executing in cases of defection without a crisis in the parent party.
The trio, consisting of Oko-Jumbo (Bonny Constituency as Speaker), Adolphus Timothy (Opobo/Nkoro Constituency as Deputy Speaker), and Sokari Goodboy (Ahoada West as Leader of the House), assumed the Assembly’s leadership.
They have consistently carried out legislative functions, often in alignment with the Fubara-led administration.
Meanwhile, the 27 defected members have since reversed their decision and continue to attend functions as PDP members and hold sessions under Martin Amaewhule’s leadership, frequently opposing the government’s policies.
Both the Federal High Court and the Appeal Court declared the state’s N800 billion 2024 appropriation bill invalid, putting a stop to its execution and adding another twist to Rivers State’s continuing political and legislative crisis.
Additionally, a Federal High Court blocked the State’s receipt of Federal Allocation; however, the Appeal Court reversed that ruling.
Additionally, Amaewhule’s leadership has been validated by judicial declarations about the disagreements over the 2024 budget presentation.
The Oko-Jumbo-led House, however, insists that no definitive decision has been rendered on Amaehule’s and 26 other people’s defection.
