Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara is set to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo, according to News360 Nigeria.
During today’s plenary, Oko-Jumbo read the governor’s letter requesting permission for the presentation. This marks Fubara’s second budget presentation since assuming office in May 2023, both under ongoing legislative disputes.
Last year, Fubara presented his inaugural budget to a four-member Assembly led by Edison Ehie, recognized by a State High Court as Speaker. This occurred after 27 Assembly members, including then-Speaker Martin Amaewhule, defected from the PDP to the APC.
Following legal battles and political intervention, including input from President Bola Tinubu, Ehie resigned and was appointed Chief of Staff. The remaining three Assembly members—Oko-Jumbo, Adolphus Timothy, and Sokari Goodboy—assumed leadership, citing constitutional provisions supporting their legitimacy.
The 27 defectors have since returned to the PDP and continue to challenge the Fubara administration under Amaewhule’s leadership.
Adding to the turmoil, courts nullified the state’s N800 billion 2024 budget and halted its implementation. While the Appeal Court restored federal allocations to the state, judicial rulings upheld Amaewhule’s leadership.
Despite these challenges, the Oko-Jumbo-led Assembly maintains its authority, asserting that no definitive judgment has addressed the defection of Amaewhule and his allies.
