Rivers lawmakers hold parallel sittings | Pro-Wike members ask Fubara to resubmit budget

Members of the Rivers house of assembly loyal to Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers; and Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT); held parallel sittings in Port Harcourt on Monday. 

The faction of the assembly loyal to Wike has asked Fubara to resubmit the state’s 2024 budget within seven days.

The order was issued during plenary on Monday. Martin Amaewhule, factional speaker of the house, presided over the plenary.

The pro-Wike lawmakers held their plenary at the legislative quarters.

This is the first plenary the 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike will be holding since a court restrained them from conducting legislative sittings anywhere, including within the legislative quarters.

On July 4, the court of appeal in Abuja dismissed the order of a Rivers high court which restrained the lawmakers.

The Fubara faction led by Victor Oko Jumbo also held plenary at the government house.

In December 2023, Fubara presented the state’s N800 billion budget estimate for 2024 to the Edison Ehie-led faction of the house of assembly.

The Rivers governor presented the budget to five members of the Ehie-led faction amid the leadership crisis.

Twenty-four hours later, Fubara signed the 2024 appropriation bill.

The Rivers assembly has been polarised following the rift between Wike and Fubara. Both politicians have been at loggerheads over control of the political structure of the state.