The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Sunday brushed off concerns about a possible impeachment following the Supreme Court’s ruling that favored lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The apex court on Friday ordered the Federal Government to withhold financial allocations to Rivers State until Governor Fubara submits the state budget to the 27 lawmakers led by Martins Amaewhule, a pro-Wike faction in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The court also nullified local government elections conducted by Fubara’s administration last year.
The verdict marks a turning point in the power struggle that has gripped Rivers State since October 2023, when the fallout between Fubara and Wike led to a dramatic split in the Assembly.
27 lawmakers defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in support of Wike, while four members remained loyal to Fubara.
The crisis reached a boiling point when the pro-Wike faction attempted to impeach Fubara, triggering violent clashes and the bombing of the Assembly complex.
In response, Fubara declared the seats of the defecting lawmakers vacant and argued that their defection to the APC nullified their legislative mandate.
He later presented the state’s 2024 and 2025 budgets to the four-member faction that remained aligned with him.
However, the Supreme Court ruled that Fubara’s actions were illegal and directed him to recognize the pro-Wike lawmakers.
The court also ordered the governor to present the state budget to the faction.
However, despite the apex court’s decision, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, in an interview with The PUNCH, insisted there was no imminent threat to Fubara’s administration.
He said: “Afraid of what? “The governor is on his toes and has the mandate of the Rivers people. He will obey the law, respect its sanctity, and continue working in the best interest of the state.”
Johnson listed the administration’s ongoing development efforts and announced the inauguration of several projects starting Monday.
“For the next 10 days, we will keep unveiling projects. The governor is not daunted by the shenanigans of detractors,” he added.
When asked if Fubara would comply with the Supreme Court’s directive to present the budget to the pro-Wike lawmakers, the commissioner said the state government would wait for the Certified True Copy of the judgment before making any decisions.
“I cannot say whether we will implement it or not.
“We need to study the judgment, evaluate its implications, and ensure that any action we take aligns with the law and protects the interests of Rivers people,” he stated.
Johnson maintained that the 27 defecting lawmakers had lost their seats, referencing an earlier Rivers State High Court judgment that declared their defection unconstitutional.
Source: Ripples
