Pro-Wike lawmakers ask Fubara to present 2025 budget within 48 hours

The Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers house of assembly has asked Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state, to present the 2025 appropriation bill within 48 hours.

The lawmakers issued the ultimatum during plenary on Monday.

In January 2025, Fubara signed the 2025 appropriation bill into law after it was passed by the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led faction of the Rivers assembly.

Fubara signed the appropriation bill 72 hours after it was presented to the four lawmakers.

The Rivers legislature has been polarised following the rift between Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory, and Fubara.

The Amaewhule faction of the house is loyal to Wike.

This is the first sitting of the faction since the supreme court ruling. 

The apex court had 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.

In the lead judgment, Emmanuel Agim, a justice of the supreme court, had held that the 27 lawmakers alleged to have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) are still valid members of the Rivers assembly, pending the final determination of the suit challenging their status.

“Any other set of individuals purporting to be members of the Rivers state house of assembly led by any other person except Martins Amaewhule is a nullity and their actions null and void,” Agim had ruled.

The judgments handed the Wike faction an advantage in the political crisis in the state.