In an unbelievable twist, the Rivers State Governor, Siminalaya Fubara, on Monday, withdrew his appeal against the Appeal Court ruling that declared the 2024 budget illegal.
Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, made this known in a post he made on his social media account on Monday.
Noting that Fubara has accepted the illegality of the budget, Olayinka disclosed that the withdrawal of the suit was made by the governor’s counsel, Yusuf Ali.
The media aide wrote, “Governor Fubara of Rivers State has withdrawn his appeal No. SC/CV/1071/2024 against the Appeal Court judgment declaring the 2024 Budget of the State illegal and ordering him to present the budget to the House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule.
“The Appeal Court had upheld the judgment of Justice J. K. Omotosho in Suit No:FHC/ABJ/1613/2023 wherein the court ruled that Governor Fubara should re-present the 2024 budget to the House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule.
“By this withdrawal, Gov. Fubara has accepted the lower and appellate courts judgments, declaring presentation of the Rivers State budget to three members of the State House of Assembly as illegal.”
Recall that Governor Fubara had submitted the 2024 budget to the Edison Ehie-led House of Assembly in December 2023. However, the Appeal Court in Abuja delivered a ruling on October 10, 2024, upholding the Federal High Court’s January 22, 2024, judgment that nullified the passage of the Rivers State 2024 budget.
The controversy surrounding the budget began when pro-Wike lawmakers, led by Amaewhule, took the state government to court for submitting the budget to the Ehie-led house, arguing that it was not properly passed.
As of the time of filing this report, the governor’s camp is yet to comment on the development.
