The directive was issued during a plenary session in Port Harcourt on Monday by lawmakers loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, following a recent Supreme Court judgment.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued a 48-hour deadline for Governor Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2025 budget.
The directive was issued during a plenary session in Port Harcourt on Monday by lawmakers loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, following a recent Supreme Court judgment.
SaharaReporters previously reported that Governor Siminalayi Fubara had pledged to implement the Supreme Court verdict that nullified the local government elections conducted by the state in October 2024.
However, he noted that his administration disagreed with the court’s ruling delivered on Friday. He made this position known in a statewide broadcast on Sunday.
In his address, the governor said, “My dear people of Rivers State, we are all aware of the recent Supreme Court judgments and pronouncements regarding aspects of the lingering political disputes in our dear state.
“Although we disagree with the judgments, we are bound to obey the orders made therein as a law-abiding government.”
Governor Fubara emphasized that since the inception of his administration, he had conducted government affairs within the framework of the Constitution, due process, and the rule of law.
“While we are not above mistakes because we are human, we believe that we have not, as a government, done anything deliberately to trample on the rule of law or the hallowed principles of constitutional governance,” he said.
He added that upon receiving certified copies of the judgments, the state government would study their implications and implement them without reservations to move the state forward.
The governor also announced that Heads of Local Government Administration had been instructed to take over the administration of the 23 local government areas in the state.
He said, “Furthermore, given the outlawing of caretaker arrangements in the local government system, I hereby direct the Heads of Local Government Administration to immediately take over the administration of the 23 local government councils pending the conduct of fresh elections by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
“I further direct the outgoing local government chairmen to formally hand over the levers of power to the Heads of Local Government Administration by Monday, 3rd March 2025.”
He urged citizens to remain calm and continue with their daily activities as the government works to fulfill its responsibilities.
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters reported on Friday that the Supreme Court had placed a restriction on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation, and other government agencies, preventing them from disbursing funds to the Rivers State Government.
This decision was stated in a unanimous verdict delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye on behalf of a five-member panel.
According to the apex court, the ruling will remain in effect until the state government complies with previous court orders, which it has been accused of disregarding.
The court also dismissed a cross-appeal filed by Governor Fubara, in which he challenged the legitimacy of the Rivers State House of Assembly under the leadership of Speaker Martin Amaewhule.
The ruling went against Fubara, directing Amaewhule and other elected lawmakers to resume legislative duties immediately.
In its judgment, the court criticised Governor Fubara for presenting the state’s appropriation bill to a four-member assembly, effectively sidelining 28 constituencies.
It labelled the move a blatant violation of a previous order, which mandated the governor to re-submit the 2024 budget before a properly constituted assembly under Amaewhule’s leadership.
Additionally, the Supreme Court condemned Fubara’s actions concerning the alleged defection of 28 lawmakers, describing them as authoritarian tactics meant to obstruct the assembly’s operations.
The court also denounced the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex, calling it an abuse of executive power designed to suppress the legislative body.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court nullified the local government elections conducted in Rivers State on October 5, 2024. In a judgment delivered by Justice Jamilu Tukur, the court ruled that the election was invalid due to significant violations of the Electoral Act.
The court found that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission failed to comply with electoral guidelines, including continuing voter registration even after announcing the election date. Consequently, the court declared the election process void.
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