Victor EzejaAttempt by the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to re-present the 2025 budget has been foiled as he could not gain access to the State Assembly quarters on Wednesday, 12 March 2025.
The governor, who arrived at the premises at Aba Road where the state lawmakers have been holding their sittings, was denied entrance.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIn a video shared on social media, the governor and his aides were seen at the entrance gate of the Assembly quarters, but unable to gain access to the premises. The security personnel at the gate were nowhere to be seen, and there was no one to receive him.
Speaking to newsmen, Governor Fubara said his attempt to re-present the budget has been scuttled. He claimed that it was in the best interest of the people of Rivers State.
The governor was scheduled to re-present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the Rivers State Assembly lawmakers led by Hon. Martin Amaewhule in obedience to the recent Supreme Court judgment which ordered him to re-present the budget to the lawmakers for consideration and approval in line with the principles of rule of law and democratic governance.
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The political crisis in the oil-rich South-south state which emanated from the personality clash between governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, about 18 months ago, seems not to have abated, even after the Supreme Court judgment which recognized the Amaewhule-led Assembly and ordered them to resume full sitting with immediate effect.
The apex court also ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Accountant General of the Federation to suspend the payment of Rivers State’s Statutory allocation until the governor corrects what the court described as a constitutional aberration.
The state Assembly Speaker, Amaewhule, had given the governor a 48-hour ultimatum to re-present the 2025 budget. With the development, the governor has failed to meet up with the ultimatum.
READ ALSO: Fubara vs. Lawmakers: Political War That Could Reshape Rivers State
The Governor had invited the members of the Assembly for a peace talk at the government house on Monday, 10 March 2025 but was not honoured by the state lawmakers, who claimed the invitation was not communicated to them through the appropriate channel.
RIVERS CRISIS
Martin Amaehule led assembly shut the gate against his excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara preventing the Governor from re-presenting the 2025 budget.
— Emma ik Umeh (Tcee )🇳🇬 (@emmaikumeh) March 12, 2025
Reacting to that, Wike, who is the current Federal Capital Territory Minister, accused Fubara of not being sincere with his pursuit of peace in Rivers State.
According to the former governor, who spoke in a media chat on Wednesday in Abuja, Fubara is merely “playing to the gallery.” He added that the letter to the State Assembly members is “useless.”
He maintained that the governor needs to build relationship with the lawmakers.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
