Fubara shuns pro-Wike lawmakers, says he’s already preparing 2025 budget

Fubara shuns pro-Wike lawmakers, says he’s already preparing 2025 budget

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has announced that he is working on the 2025 appropriation bill, which he will soon present to the state House of Assembly. This statement comes amidst tensions with a faction of the Assembly loyal to the former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

Earlier this week, 27 pro-Wike lawmakers, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, issued a seven-day ultimatum to Governor Fubara to re-present the state’s 2024 budget. This request followed the presentation of the 2024 budget by Fubara when Edison Ehie, the current Chief of Staff, was the speaker. Fubara had also signed the budget into law after its passage by the Ehie-led assembly.

The Amaewhule-led faction recently resumed legislative activities after months of inactivity. This follows a Rivers State High Court ruling that declared Amaewhule and 24 other pro-Wike lawmakers had lost their seats after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). However, the Court of Appeal overturned this decision last week, reinstating Amaewhule as the authentic speaker of the House.

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Addressing the situation on Wednesday, Governor Fubara indicated that he had moved past the 2024 budget and was now focused on the 2025 budget. He stated, “We all know how they crossed (joined APC). And how did they cross? Because of our god. For them to make that mistake — they are gone, and they are gone. When I wanted to help them — I accepted to help them because we are all one. We disagree to agree. They thought they were smart.”