Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly
By Eric Moore
THE Rivers State House of Assembly has announced that it would proceed on a 12-week recess starting from Friday, March 7, 2025.
This was announced at the 130 Legislative Day of the Second Session of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly which was held on Monday, March 3, 2025.
It (Assembly) has also written to the Governor Siminalayi Fubara, that the House would proceed on a 12-week recess from Friday, but Standing Committees would be expected to continue statutory functions.
The lawmakers said their resolution was geared towards a quick fix to the current financial quagmire occasioned by the absence of an Appropriation Law for Rivers State.
“We do not want Rivers State people to suffer. We, therefore, urge you to act fast and do the needful in the best interest of the good people of Rivers.” – Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule RSHA speaker.
In his letter to the governor, the speaker said the House among other matters, deliberated on judgements of the Supreme Court in Suits numbers- SC/CV/1174/2024 and SC/CV/1105/2024 delivered on the 28th day of February 2025 and resolved as follows:
“That under the order of the Supreme Court in Suit no.: SC/CV/1174/2024 for the stoppage of Statutory Federal allocations to the Rivers State Government and halting of spending from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State pending the passage of an Appropriation Bill, you are requested to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the House in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“The House expects you to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill within 48 hours.
“Since the Supreme Court in the judgment delivered in Suit no.: SC/CV/1105/2024 nullified the purported Rivers State Local Government Elections of 5th October 2024 for non-compliance with the Electoral Act among other reasons, the House would soon commence the process of amending the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law No. 2 of 2018 so that they can be in tandem with the Electoral Act and pave the way for the commencement of plans for fresh Local Government elections in the State.
“That your attention should be drawn to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended; the Rivers State Local Government (Amendment) Law, 2023 as well as the Judgement of the Supreme Court in Suit No.: SC/CV/343/2024 prohibits the administration of Local Governments by HLGAs or any other persons other than democratically elected officials.
“That the House would proceed on a 12-week recess as from Friday, 7 March 2025 but Standing Committees would be expected to continue statutory functions.
Please be informed that our resolutions are geared towards a quick fix to the current financial quagmire occasioned by the absence of an Appropriation Law for Rivers State. We do not want Rivers State people to suffer. We, therefore, urge you to act fast and do the needful in the best interest of the good people of Rivers.”