A 7-day ultimatum issued by the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to resubmit the 2024 budget has raised uncertainty and tension in Rivers State.
The deadline, which expires this week, has raised concerns about the actions expected to be undertaken by the camps of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and his political rival, Governor Fubara.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the ultimatum, issued on July 8, was prompted by a motion from Dumle Maol, Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary and Deputy Speaker of the Pro-Nyesom Wike Assembly.
Maol urged the House to notify the governor to present the budget, citing a recent court ruling that affirmed their membership and validated Amaewhule’s leadership.
The re-presentation of the budget was a key element of the presidential peace pact aimed at resolving the political crisis in the state. However, Governor Fubara had already submitted the ₦800bn budget to the Assembly led by Edison Ehie, which was passed and signed into law.
The factional Assembly is now led by Victor Oko-Jumbo.
The demand for the re-presentation of the 2024 budget appears unrealistic, as Governor Fubara recently announced that his administration is preparing the 2025 budget.
Meanwhile, Chijioke Ihunwo, a pro-Fubara politician, dismissed the 7-day ultimatum as laughable and urged Amaewhule to accept his fate as a former assembly member.
Ihunwo was appointed by the governor as the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
