The crisis in Rivers State has entered a dangerous curve after the Appeal Court ruling which seemed to give wind to the Nyesom Wike-backed faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Both factions sat Monday, July 8, 2024, and an ultimatum rang out of one of the factions to the Governor, Sim Fubara.
The Wike-backed faction, in a move that looks like early steps for impeachment, issued seven days ultimatum to the governor to present the 2024 budget to them.
Read also: Tension mounts in Rivers as pro-Wike, Fubara lawmakers hold parallel sittings
The budget had been passed by the faction loyal to the governor and is under intensive implementation.
The faction made up of the allegedly defected lawmakers which has huge majority (25 vs three) led by Martin Chike Amaewhule, sat on Monday and deliberated on the actions and inactions of Governor Fubara. They said the actions (and inactions) were in breach of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered, extant laws, and judgements of competent Courts of Law.
The House called the attention of Fubara to the fact that he is yet to present the 2024 Appropriation Bill of the state to the duly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly in line with the provisions of Section 121 of the Constitution and in compliance with the judgement of Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court.
The House then resolved to give the governor seven days from the date of the resolution to present the ‘Appropriation Bill’ to the House.
The House also drew the attention of Fubara to his breach of Section 192(2) of the Constitution wherein he swore-in purported members of the State Executive Council as Commissioners as well as a breach of Section 7 (1) of the Constitution and the Rivers State Local Government (Amendment) Law, 2023, wherein he again swore-in certain unelected
individuals to manage the affairs of the 23 Local Government Councils in the state, in flagrant disobedience to the Constitution and judgement of Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court.
Commenting, the Speaker, Amaewhule, decried a situation where the governor in total disregard to the Constitution and judgements of Courts transacts Legislative business with
three suspended members of the Assembly, who he said paraded themselves as House of Assembly of the state.
On the other hand, the Fubara-backed Assembly led by Victor Oko-Jumbo as speaker went ahead to screen more commissioner-nominees and deliberated on a bill seeking to provide for the establishment of the Rivers State Emergency Management Agency and for connected purposes have been committed to an Ad-hoc Committee by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Also committed to an Adhoc Committee is a bill seeking to implement, regulate, and coordinate a modernised and sustainable transportation system as well as establish the Rivers State Transport Authority.
This followed a debate on the two bills on Monday, July 8, 2024, on the floor of the house.
Read also: Rivers’ crisis: Fubara group insists seats are vacant, head to Supreme Court
Commencing debate on the two bills, leader, Sokari Goodboy Sokari, said the bill was crucial for state emergencies and disasters and emphasized that the bill if passed into law would help reduce the incessant natural disasters in the state while citing oil spills and fire outbreak as examples.
On the Rivers State Transport Reform Law 2023, the leader said the bill was thoughtful, timely and in line with Governor Fubara’s vision of re-modelling Port Harcourt city.
Sokari Goodboy also said the bill if passed into law would achieve a well reformed transport system in the State as well as attract investors.
Speaker, Oko-Jumbo, at the end of debate while committing the bills to Ad-hoc committees, stressed that the bill would help reduce the activities of “one chance” operators in the state.
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