Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is preparing to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the Rivers State House of Assembly, currently led by Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo.
The Speaker read the Governor’s letter requesting permission to present the bill at the Assembly’s plenary earlier today. This marks Governor Fubara’s second budget presentation since he assumed office in May 2023, both occurring under the shadow of ongoing legislative crises.
In 2023, Fubara’s inaugural budget presentation was made to a four-member Assembly led by Edison Ehie, who had been recognized as Speaker by a State High Court. This followed a dramatic shift in the Assembly, with 27 members led by then Speaker Martin Amaewhule defecting from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The defection sparked a series of legal battles and political interventions, including input from President Bola Tinubu. After Ehie’s resignation and appointment as Chief of Staff to the Government House, the three remaining members Oko-Jumbo (Speaker), Adolphus Timothy (Deputy Speaker), and Sokari Goodboy (Leader) assumed control of the Assembly. This faction has generally aligned with the Fubara administration.
The defected 27 members later reversed their decision and resumed attending functions under Amaewhule’s leadership. They continue to oppose the governor’s policies, and the legal turmoil surrounding their actions remains ongoing.
In another twist, both the Federal High Court and the Appeal Court have nullified the N800 billion 2024 budget passed by the state’s Assembly, temporarily halting its implementation. A Federal High Court ruling also paused the disbursement of federal allocations to the state, but the Appeal Court later overturned this decision.
Despite judicial rulings affirming Amaewhule’s leadership, the Oko-Jumbo-led faction maintains that there has been no final decision on the legality of the defectors’ actions. The political and legal conflicts continue to shape the governance of Rivers State as the 2025 budget presentation draws near.
