The standoff between the governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and the state House of Assembly, has beginning to deepen.
On Thursday, Fubara wrote a fresh letter to the House informing the lawmakers of his intention to re-present the 2025 Appropriation Bill for consideration and approval.
The governor, in the letter dated March 13 and addressed to the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, said he intended to present the budget on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 or any other day in March that the House might deem fit.
Fubara said his decision was in compliance with the Supreme Court’s judgment and in response to the request by the lawmakers for him to re-present the budget.
The statement partly read, “It is my pleasure to again notify you, Mr Speaker, of my desire and intention to present the 2025 Budget to the Rivers State House of Assembly on Wednesday, 19th March, 2025 by 11am, or any other date within March 2025 that you may consider convenient.”
However, the state House of Assembly on Friday adjourned its sitting sine die (indefinitely).
The decision to adjourn its legislative business indefinitely was reached during plenary presided over by the Speaker, Amaewhule, after the House passed three bills which it said would be forwarded to the governor for assent.
A statement by the media aide to the Speaker, Martins Wachukwu, said, “In furtherance of one of its tripod functions, the Rivers State House of Assembly, on Friday, at its 136th legislative sitting, passed three bills, which will be forwarded to His Excellency, the governor, for assent.”
Speaking on the reports, Amaewhule said, “What the House is simply doing is the domestication of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act of 2017 that gave certain powers and privileges to the legislature in the performance of its function.”
