Fubara accepts Supreme Court ruling on Rivers Assembly members, says defection issue still unaddressed
Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has publicly acknowledged the recent ruling by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which affirmed the legitimacy of Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule and 26 other lawmakers as valid members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The ruling came amidst an ongoing political crisis that has seen disputes over legislative authority and governance in the state.
The Supreme Court’s decision mandates that all funds allocated to the Rivers State government be halted until a legitimate budget is presented and approved by the House of Assembly led by Amaewhule.
The court’s judgment was delivered by a five-member panel, with Justice Emmanuel Agim reading the lead judgment. The court criticized Governor Fubara for attempting to operate with only four members out of 32 in the assembly, which constitutes just 12.5% of the total membership, labeling such actions as illegal and undemocratic.
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In response to this ruling, Governor Fubara issued a statement through Joe Johnson, the state’s Commissioner for Information, indicating that he has taken note of the implications of the Supreme Court’s judgment regarding both state funds and local government administration.
He emphasized that while the court reinstated Amaewhule and his colleagues as lawmakers, it did not address their defection from their original political party, which remains a pending issue before another court.
Fubara expressed his commitment to evaluating the situation carefully and determining subsequent steps that would be in the best interest of Rivers State and its citizens. He urged residents to remain calm during this period of uncertainty as his administration seeks clarity on how to proceed following this landmark ruling.
