A member of House Representatives and lawyer, Mr Solomon Bob, has said that with the Supreme Court dismissing Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s appeal, the judgment of the Court of Appeal, affirming the High Court decision on the presentation of Rivers State budget stands.
The Supreme Court had dismissed Fubara’s appeal challenging the Appeal Court decision affirming the judgment of a Federal High Court, which held that the governor was duty-bound to present the state’s 2024 budget to the Martin Amaewhule-led state House of Assembly.
Bob, representing Abua/Odual and Ahoada East Federal Constituency of Rivers State in the National Assembly, argued that with the Supreme Court dismissing the appeal challenging the order, the order is alive and in force and affects the 2025 state budget also.
The Reps member said: “On January 10, 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal of Fubara against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which had earlier upheld the judgment of Justice Joseph Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023.
“Justice Omotosho’s judgment, which was delivered on January 22, 2024, touched on the entirety of the issues at the centre of the crisis, including (a) leadership and membership of the Rivers State House of Assembly and (b) presentation of the 2024 appropriation law or any presentations to the House of Assembly.
“One of the judgment orders restrained the 11th defendant (Governor Fubara) from howsoever or in whatsoever manner making any request, presentation, or nomination in the Rivers State House of Assembly except to the House of Assembly under the leadership of the 2nd plaintiff (Speaker Martin Amaewhule).
“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.
“However, the ink on the Supreme Court’s dismissal had hardly dried up when Mr. Femi Falana appeared on a television programme to proffer yet another misleading interpretation,” he said.
ALSO, the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has called on Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and other stakeholders to engage with the duly constituted Assembly to promote stability and progress in the state.
The conference, in a communiqué signed by the Director General, Busari Sarafadeen, on behalf of the Chairman, Adebo Ogundoyin, acknowledged the court judgments affirming the legitimacy of the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.
They affirmed that “respect for judicial decisions and institutional harmony is essential for effective governance.”
On the leadership change in the Lagos State House of Assembly, the conference acknowledged the constitutional provisions for the removal of presiding officers of state Houses of Assembly and emphasised that such processes must strictly comply with the Constitution and enabling laws.