The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed Martin Amaewhule as the rightful Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, dismissing an appeal from Governor Siminalayi Fubara as unfounded.
In a unanimous decision, the three-member panel upheld the January 22 ruling from the Federal High Court, which voided the N800 million 2024 budget for Rivers State. The court found that the budget was not presented to all Assembly members, contravening legal protocols. It criticized Governor Fubara for not following the rule of law in this matter.
The ruling emphasized that the Governor’s choice to present the 2024 Appropriation Bill to just four of the 31 Assembly members represented a serious violation of the 1999 Constitution.
Moreover, the court pointed out that Fubara’s withdrawal of a counter-affidavit related to the Amaewhule-led lawmakers’ recognition indicated his acceptance of the claims made against him.
More updates will follow as the situation develops.