You’re wrong about s’court’s verdict on Rivers budget, rep tells Falana

Solomon Bob, a member of the house of representatives from Rivers, has opposed human rights lawyer Femi Falana’s interpretation of the supreme court’s ruling on the leadership crisis in the state’s house of assembly.

On Monday, Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said the apex court did not resolve the issue of who the legitimate speaker of the Rivers assembly is.

The lawyer argued that the decision at the federal high court that led to the appeal was the 2024 budget proposal, adding that Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, decided to discontinue litigation because the budget had been passed.

But in a statement on Friday, Bob said the verdict of the apex court was not restricted to the 2024 budget.

“Clearly, the judgment does not address the question of the 2024 budget presentation alone, but all subsequent presentations (including that of 2025), requests, or nominations before the Rivers State House of Assembly,” he said.

“Mr. Falana was wrong. He was also downplaying the dire ramifications of spending without an appropriation law.

“He also claimed that the dismissed appeal did not touch on the question of membership of the Rivers state house of assembly.

“Indeed, virtually all the reliefs sought and granted by the federal high court and the decision of the court of appeal affirmed the subsisting membership of the House of Assembly by the 27 legislators.

“By reason of section 272(3) of the constitution, only the federal high court is vested with jurisdiction on any question of vacancy in the seats of a house of assembly.

“I am dismayed by Mr. Falana’s consistent penchant for misleading the public with respect to the Rivers crisis.

“Mr. Falana should separate his animus towards an individual from his exposition of the law and have the humility to admit that he is not the law.”

BACKGROUND

In December 2023, Fubara presented the 2024 budget to only five lawmakers in the Edison Ehie-led faction of the house of assembly.

In January 2024, a federal high court in Abuja voided and set aside the presentation and passage of the budget.

James Omotoso, the presiding judge, ordered Fubara to re-present the budget to the “legally” constituted house of assembly under Amaewhule.

In October 2024, a court of appeal in Abuja affirmed the judgment of the federal high court that voided the presentation and passage of the 2024 budget for Rivers state.