The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2025 budget.
The lawmakers made the demand during Monday’s plenary session.
Security was heightened at the Rivers House of Assembly Quarters as the lawmakers held their first sitting after the Supreme Court ruling, under the leadership of Martin Amaewhule.
Governor Fubara signed the ₦1.1 trillion 2025 budget into law on January 2nd, 2025, after presenting it to the lawmakers led by Victor Oko-Jumbo.
However, on Friday, the Supreme Court directed the governor to present the 2024 budget to a properly constituted Assembly.
Fubara had presented the 2024 budget to four members of the Assembly, led by Edison Ehie, the current Chief of Staff to the Governor, after the lawmakers declared the seats of Amaewhule and 26 others vacant.
This followed Amaewhule and the others defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, an action they now deny.
The apex court ruled that Amaewhule and the other 26 members remain lawmakers until their status is determined by the court.
The apex court also instructed Amaewhule to resume sittings with all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The Supreme Court, in the same vein, ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to withhold allocations meant for Rivers State until the government complies with orders.
On their first sitting following the ruling, the Rivers State Assembly requested that Governor Fubara present the budget, titled the ‘Budget of Inclusive Growth and Development’.
