The Rivers crisis took a new dimension when the state High Court ruled in favour of Governor Siminalayi Fubara in a suit seeking to compel him to represent the 2024 budgetA group, Registered Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, had filed the suit before the court against the governorHowever, the court ruled that the governor would only relate with lawmakers who did not lose their seats because of defection until the Supreme Court takes the final decision
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has dismissed a suit seeking to compel Governor Siminalayi Fubara to re-present the N800 billion 2024 budget to the 27 lawmakers of the State House of Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule.
The court presided over by Justice Sika Aprioku, ruled that the governor can transact business with the members who did not vacate their seats but not with those who defected and lost their seats.
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Court ruled on a suit seeking to compel Fubara to represent the 2024 budget
Photo Credit: @SimFubaraKSC
Source: Twitter
According to Tribune, the suit was filed by the Registered Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, who questioned the defendants’ failure to re-present the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the State House of Assembly led by Amaewhule for enactment into law.
However, the court held that the claimant’s claim seeking declaratory and injunctive reliefs for the re-presentation of the 2024 budget to the former 27 lawmakers lacks merit and is accordingly dismissed.
Why court dismissed fresh suit against Fubara
During the hearing, counsel to the defendants, Lawrence Oko-Jaja (SAN), tendered documents to the court, which recalled that the Rivers State House of Assembly between December 2015 and February 2017 comprised only six members, who transacted business with the then Governor Nyesom Wike. This precedent was cited to support the governor’s decision to present the budget to the existing members of the House of Assembly.
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The court’s decision was based on the grounds that the 27 lawmakers who defected and lost their seats could not participate in the presentation of the budget. The court also ruled that until the Supreme Court gives its verdict on the issue of jurisdiction, which affects the status of the 27 lawmakers, the governor can only constitutionally approach those who did not vacate their seats.
The suit was dismissed with a cost of N500,000 awarded in favor of the defendants and against the claimant. This decision brings an end to the controversy surrounding the presentation of the 2024 budget in Rivers State.
Fubara approves N100k Christmas bonus for workers
Henzodaily.ng earlier reported that Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers state has approved an N100,000 Christmas bonus for civil servants, public servants and pensioners in the state.
Fubara was said to have made to move so that the beneficiaries could have a fulfilling Yuletide celebration in their homes.
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This gesture will be Governor Fubara’s second of its kind, considering he started in 2023.
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Source: Henzodaily.ng