Political tensions in Rivers State have escalated once again as the faction of the state House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule, loyal to Nyesom Wike, indefinitely adjourned plenary. The move, which was announced during a session at the assembly quarters in Port Harcourt on Friday, effectively stalls Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s efforts to present the 2025 appropriation bill.
The decision comes just a day after Governor Fubara formally requested a new date for the budget presentation. In a letter personally signed by him and dated March 13, he urged the assembly to fix a convenient date in March for the appropriation bill’s presentation. According to Fubara, this was the second formal notice sent to the assembly in compliance with the Supreme Court’s February 28 ruling, which mandated that the state budget be presented to the lawmakers.
However, on Wednesday, Fubara and some of his commissioners were denied access to the Rivers State House of Assembly quarters, preventing them from carrying out the budget presentation. The development underscores the deepening political crisis in the state, which has been fueled by a power struggle between Fubara and Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former governor of Rivers State.
The dispute has effectively split the Rivers Assembly into two factions. The Amaewhule-led faction, aligned with Wike, controls the assembly quarters, while the rival group, led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, remains loyal to Governor Fubara. In December 2024, Fubara had presented a budget proposal of ₦1.1 trillion to the Oko-Jumbo-led assembly. However, the legal battle surrounding the legitimacy of the assembly factions took a decisive turn on February 28, when the Supreme Court ruled that the governor must submit the budget to the Wike-backed lawmakers.
As part of its ruling, the apex court upheld an earlier federal high court judgment that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the accountant-general of the federation from releasing Rivers State’s monthly statutory allocations until the governor complies. This decision has put intense financial pressure on the Fubara-led administration, making the budget presentation an urgent necessity.
Despite the Supreme Court’s directive, the Amaewhule-led lawmakers appear unwilling to cooperate, using their indefinite adjournment as a strategic move to maintain control over the legislative process. Their decision effectively prevents the governor from fulfilling the court-mandated budget presentation, further entrenching the political deadlock.
The ongoing crisis has left governance in Rivers State hanging in the balance. With the state’s financial allocations withheld and the legislative impasse deepening, residents are growing increasingly concerned about the impact on public services, infrastructure projects, and overall economic stability.
As the political battle between Fubara and Wike intensifies, analysts warn that the prolonged standoff could have far-reaching consequences for governance and development in Rivers State. While Fubara has vowed to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling, the continuous obstruction by the pro-Wike lawmakers signals that the crisis is far from over.
The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether a resolution can be reached or if Rivers State will remain caught in a political deadlock with significant governance implications. Observers are keenly watching how the governor navigates this latest setback and whether higher political interventions will be necessary to break the stalemate.
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