Rivers State: Fubara Accused of Ignoring Court Judgments by Amaewhule-Led Assembly

Rivers State Assembly, led by Amaewhule, accuses Governor Fubara of repeatedly disregarding court rulings. Dive into the details of these allegations and their implications for governance in Rivers State.

The House of Assembly in Rivers State, led by Martins Amaewhule, has claimed that Governor Siminialayi Fubara frequently disregards court judgments and constitutional provisions.

This is in light of the lawmakers’ vow to ensure that Fubara’s appointees and permanent secretaries, who are assisting him in circumventing the law, face legal consequences.

They announced this on Monday during their 65th session in the legislative quarters.

In a statement from Martin’s Wachukwu, the Special Assistant on Media to Speaker Martins Amaewhule, it was conveyed that the lawmakers assessed the governor’s actions during their discussion of the recent Federal High Court judgment in Abuja.

The state legislators praised the decision by Justice J.O. Abdulmalik, which prohibits the government from withdrawing funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State until a properly constituted Assembly receives and considers the 2024 Appropriation Bill. They described it as a well-considered and prudent ruling.

The statement further highlighted that on July 15th, 2024, the Assembly discussed and decided upon Fubara’s ongoing refusal to submit the 2024 Rivers State Appropriation Bill to the House.

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The legislators decided to request that the governor halt spending in accordance with Section 122 of the 1999 Constitution.

Empowered by its resolution, the House and Amaewhule initiated a legal action in the Federal High Court to assess whether Fubara is permitted to spend or continue spending from the State’s Consolidated Revenue Fund without an approved 2024 Appropriation Law passed by the State House of Assembly.

The lawmakers requested that the court impose penalties for this constitutional violation by instructing the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Accountant-General of the Federation, several Money Deposit Banks, and other defendants to halt any disbursement or withdrawal of Rivers State funds until Fubara adhered to his constitutional duties. The court ruled in favor of both the House and its Speaker.

In response to the judgment, Amaewhule stated, “From July 1st, 2024 onward, Governor Fubara has been using state funds without approval. Consequently, there has been a declaration of an expenditure shutdown.”

The Governor has persistently ignored court rulings, the Nigerian Constitution, and existing laws in his usual fashion. With help from Permanent Secretaries and individuals acting as Commissioners, he continues to bypass legal requirements. These actions will inevitably lead to a legal reckoning for those involved.