Amaewhule-led Rivers assembly blocks Fubara from spending
CHIGOZIE AMADI
The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, has shut down all expenditures of Governor Siminalayi Fubara until he presents his budget before the lawmakers.
The assembly made the move during plenary on Monday, following a seven-day ultimatum the lawmakers gave the governor to present his budget before the House.
The Leader of the House, Major Jack, raised the motion informing the House about the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum given to the governor to present the 2024 budget before the House.
After deliberation, the House voted to shut down the Rivers State Consolidated Revenue Account, thus preventing Fubara’s administration from spending any money on behalf of the state.
PUNCH Online reported that the Amaewhule-led Assembly had on July 8 given Fubara, a seven-day deadline to resubmit the 2024 budget and also accused him of breaching the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
In a letter dated July 8, 2024, signed by Amaewhule and sent to Fubara on Monday, the House highlighted the governor’s actions that breached the Constitution.
This order was issued during the first session of the pro-Wike House after a hiatus of several months.
Fubara had previously presented the budget to the faction, with his current Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, presiding as Speaker.
Ehie and the pro-Fubara lawmakers passed the budget estimates, which the governor then signed into law.
The ongoing political crisis between the governor’s loyalists and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, is marked by repeated interventions to settle their differences.
