The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued a fresh 72-hour ultimatum chairman and commissioners of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to appear before it.
The Assembly gave the additional ultimatum during plenary in Port Harcourt held on Friday, following a request presented before it by a lawmaker, Enemi George.
This comes after the expiration of the initial 48-hour ultimatum issued to them.
The extension of the deadline was deliberated with the House to enable Justice Enebeli, who is the RSIEC chief, and other officials, to appear before them on Monday, March 10.
Speaking during the plenary, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule stated that they have taken legislative notice of Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s failure to re-present the 2025 budget to the House for consideration despite a 48-hour ultimatum to him.
ThisNigeria reports that the Amaewhule-led members of the assembly resumed on Monday, March 3rd, following a Supreme Court order on Feb. 28, which stopped federal allocations to Rivers until the state government recognised the Amaewhule-led members of the assembly.
By the Supreme Court directive, the N1.1 trillion appropriation bill presented by a rival Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo, to the governor for assent in January was also nullified.
Amaewhule said the governor’s quick response to the resolution was urgent to enable the state tackle impending financial crisis following the halt of statutory federal allocations to the state by the Supreme Court.
The plenary also deliberated on the annulled local government election by the Supreme Court.
The letter to the governor read in part;
”That pursuant to the order of the Supreme Court in suit no: SC/CV/1174/2024 for the stoppage of statutory federal allocations to the Rivers government and halting spending from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the 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.
“That the House expects you to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill within 48 hours.”
