Appeal Court Overturns Rivers 2024 Budget Passed by Edison-Ehie-Led Lawmakers, Affirms Amaewhule as Authenticate Speaker
Appeal Court Voids Rivers 2024 Budget Passed by Edison-Ehie Group.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the Federal High Court’s ruling, which annulled the N800 billion budget passed by five members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Edison Ehie.
The court also upheld the suit filed by the Assembly and Speaker Martin Amaewhule, against Fubara, which sought an order of injunction restraining the governor from frustrating the Assembly under his leadership as speaker, among others.
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This decision marks a significant setback for Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who had appealed the lower court’s judgment.
The appellate court dismissed the appeal on Thursday, stating that Governor Fubara’s case lacked merit. The court noted that Fubara had withdrawn his counter-affidavit in the initial trial, thus losing the right to challenge the ruling.
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The judgment, delivered by a unanimous panel, emphasized that Fubara must adhere to the rule of law, not “the rule of might,” in governing the state.
The court expressed concerns over the state of governance in Rivers, calling it an “executive dictatorship” under Fubara and a “joke taken too far.” The ruling highlighted the need for a properly constituted House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, to receive and deliberate on the budget.
The controversy stems from Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget, titled *‘Budget of Renewed Hope, Consolidation and Continuity’*, in December 2023 to a small group of pro-Fubara lawmakers. Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court had previously invalidated the budget’s passage and directed Fubara to re-present it before the full assembly.
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Additionally, the court barred the governor from interfering in the assembly’s affairs and nullified the redeployment of key assembly officials.
The court further ordered the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigerian Police Force to ensure the security of all Rivers citizens, including assembly members, and paused the planned demolition of the state’s assembly complex.
This ruling highlights the ongoing power struggle in Rivers State and the judiciary’s role in restoring order to the state’s legislative process. Governor Fubara is expected to comply with the court’s directives and re-submit the budget to the Amaewhule-led assembly.
