I’m Ready To Re-Present Budget Despite Being Locked Out — Fubara
…It’s not criminal offence to impeach Fubara –Wike
…Impeaching Fubara will have heavy consequences – INC
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed dissatisfaction over the action of the Rivers State House of Assembly, denying him entry from the quarters on Wednesday.
Fubara addressed residents of the Khana Local Government Area of the state during the commissioning of some health facilities shortly after the drama at the Assembly quarters.
The governor insisted that he communicated his intention to visit the lawmakers to Speaker Martins Amaewhule before he showed up at the quarters to re-represent the 2025 Budget as directed by the Assembly following the verdict of the Supreme Court on February 28, 2025.
“I still believe, maybe, they might be instructed later. If they are instructed, I’m still ready to come any day to get this particular issue sorted out,” the governor said.
Also, the Rivers State Government shared a letter notifying the House of the governor’s visit.
On Friday, February 28, 2025, the Supreme Court handed a raft of decisions on the protracted political situation in the oil-rich South-South state.
In the judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye, the five-man panel of the court unanimously dismissed the cross-appeal filed by Fubara challenging the validity of the House of Assembly presided over by Amaewhule as the Speaker.
In dismissing Fubara’s appeal, the court ordered Amaewhule to resume sitting immediately with other elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The apex court barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation, and other agencies from releasing funds to the Government of Rivers State until it purges itself of what the court described as flagrant disobedience to court orders.
Also, the apex court declared the local government election conducted in the state on October 5, 2024, as invalid.
Fubara subsequently said he would fully implement the judgments of the apex court and directed the Rivers State Independent Electoral Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to come up with modalities for the fresh election.
The electoral commission fixed August 9, 2025, to conduct a fresh local government poll in the state. The Assembly later issued an arrest warrant against RSIEC Chief, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd), over failure to appear before the House.
Furthermore, the Secretary to the State Government, Tammy Danagogo, in a letter dated March 7, 2025, sought a meeting with the lawmakers for March 10, 2025 to discuss the re-presentation of the 2025 budget and a peace talk but the Assembly asked the governor to channel his invitation properly.
It’s not criminal offence to impeach Fubara –Wike
Meanwhile, former Rivers State governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, says his enstranged successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, should be impeached if found wanting accordingly.
He said politics is no play and impeaching Fubara would not amount to a criminal offence.
Wike, who said this during a media live chat on Wednesday, lamented that “three lawmakers”, in veiled referenced to members of the state Assembly loyal to Fubara, could make legislation.
He said, “Politics is not play. If he has done something to be impeached, let them impeach him. It’s not a criminal offence,” Wike stated.
“I cannot believe that in this country, we are now at the point where Nigerians are talking about where three members of the House will sit and make a law, and they are talking about going to the Supreme Court. Do we need to go to work.”
Rivers’ political crisis has taken a new dimension since a Supreme Court ruling recognised 27 pro-Wike lawmakers and nullified the local government election conducted in the state in October 2024.
Wike commended those who challenged illegality, noting that elected officials should not be treated as subordinates.
“Speakers and Assembly members are not our children; they were elected; they are not your boys or your girls. You sit with them and play with them. I travelled with my Speakers, and I created relationships. It’s not a master-servant thing,” he said.
The former governor recalled how an elder statesman, Ferdinand Alabararba, who pushed for the emergence of an Ijaw governor, was eventually disrespected by the person he backed.
“This elder statesman cried; he almost cried. This boy later insulted this elder statesman; now he can’t go back to him for help. Ordinarily, these are the people who will call the family people. Forget about me,” Wike added.
