Pro-Fubara lawmakers reject move to stop Rivers govt’s spending

The faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Governor Siminalaye Fubara has rejected the move by a rival group to stop the governor from spending the state’s revenue.

A faction of the Assembly led by martins Amaewhule on Monday passed a resolution stopping the governor from embarking on further expenses from the 2024 budget.

The lawmakers who are loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, declared that the seven-day ultimatum given to the governor to represent the 2024 budget had elapsed.

The Court of Appeal on July 4 reinstated Amaewhule and 25 other lawmakers who dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in October last year as members of the Assembly.

However, the leader of the pro-Fubara group, Mr. Victor Oko-Jumbo, at a sitting of the Assembly on Tuesday in Port Harcourt described the move as illegal.

Oko-Jumbo said that the 2024 budget of the state was validly presented and passed into law under the leadership of the then speaker, Edison Ehie.

He said Amaewhule and 24 others seized being members of the Assembly after leaving the PDP for the APC.

He urged the people of the state to disregard any action taken by the Amaewhule-led faction, saying that they were no longer lawmakers.

“Their seats have long been declared vacant, that declaration is in line with the provisions of the constitution.

“We urge INEC to expedite action in the conduct of a by-election to fill the vacancies,” the lawmaker stated.

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