Assembly Crisis: Amaewhule Faction Gives Fubara Ultimatum To Present 2024 Appropriation Bill
…Accuses Gov Of Constitutional Breaches
From ERIC MOORE, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State House of Assembly under the speakership of Martin Amaewhule, at its 1st Legislative Sitting of the Second Session of the 10th Assembly, on Monday, deliberated on the actions and inactions of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The faction averred that the governor’s activities were in breach of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered, extant laws and judgements of competent courts of law.
The House called the attention of Fubara to the fact that he is yet to present the 2024 Appropriation Bill of the State to the duly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly in line with the provisions of Section 121 of the Constitution and in compliance with the judgement of Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court.
Also, the House resolved to give the governor seven days from the date of the resolution to present the Appropriation Bill to the House.
In a statement from the faction, the House also drew the attention of the governor to his breach of Section 192(2) of the Constitution wherein he swore-in purported members of the State Executive Council as Commissioners as well as a breach of Section 7 (1) of the Constitution and the Rivers State Local Government (Amendment) Law, 2023, wherein he again swore-in certain unelected individuals to manage the affairs of the 23 Local Government Councils in the State, in flagrant disobedience to the Constitution and judgement of Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court.
The factional Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, decried a situation where the governor in total disregard to the Constitution and judgements of Courts transacts legislative business with
three suspended members of the Assembly, who parade themselves as House of Assembly of the State.
Amaewhule stated that the purported screening and confirmation of commissioner – nominees for appointment, caretaker committees and other approvals by the three suspended lawmakers, have been declared null and void by by the recent Court of Appeal judgement, adding that the governor and others are in contempt of the orders of the court.
He, therefore, called on Governor Fubara to do the needful without further delay as these alleged constitutional breaches constitute gross misconduct and abuse of office.
Earlier, the Leader of the House, Major Jack, had presented the judgement of the Court of Appeal to the House.
Also, Chairman of the House Committee on Education presented the Report on the Rivers State Education (Return of Schools) (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to the House.