Again, Fubara writes pro-Wike lawmakers, proposes date for budget presentation

Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, has written a letter to the Martin Amaewhule-led state house of assembly, requesting a new date for the presentation of the 2025 appropriation bill.

In the letter dated March 13 and personally signed by Fubara, the Rivers governor proposed Wednesday or any date in March convenient to the lawmakers for presentation of the budget.

In the letter, the Rivers governor said he and his entourage were denied access to the Rivers assembly complex on Wednesday, despite prior notice.

Fubara said his actions are in compliance with the supreme court judgment of February 28 that ordered the presentation of the budget to the assembly.

“Recall further that before this unfortunate incident (referring to the Wednesday blockade), the house issued a 48-hour ultimatum to present the 2025 budget even when we were yet to be served with the certified true copy of the judgement and accompanying enrolled orders,” the letter reads.

“Therefore, we were simply complying with both the order of the supreme court and the request of the Rivers State House of Assembly when we came to present the 2025 budget on the 12th of March, 2025.

“The supreme court has directed that all arms of government should exercise their powers and perform their duties within the ambits of the Constitution and ordinary laws of our country, and this we must do to end the lingering stalemate and advance the progress of our State and the well-being of our people.

“No matter the depth of our differences, we believe the interests of the State and our people should take priority over political conflicts.

“Against this background, 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 11.00 am. or any other date within March 2025 that you may consider convenient.”

BACKGROUND

On Wednesday, Fubara and some of his commissioners were prevented from accessing the Rivers house of assembly quarters in Port Harcourt to present the 2025 budget.

The development came after the recent judgment of the supreme court on the political crisis in the state.

Fubara and Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), have been locked in a supremacy battle over control of the political structure of the state.

The rift led to the polarisation of the Rivers assembly. The Awaewhule-led faction is loyal to Wike.

In December 2024, the governor presented a 2025 budget proposal of N1.1 trillion to the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led state house of assembly which is loyal to him.

On February 28, the supreme court affirmed the judgment of a federal high court that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the accountant-general of the federation from releasing statutory monthly allocations to Rivers state.

The apex court had ordered the CBN to withhold Rivers’ financial allocation until Fubara presents the state appropriation bill to the Amaewhule-led faction of the assembly.