The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the decision of the Federal High Court to nullify the ₦800 billion budget passed by five members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Edison Ehie. The ruling came on Thursday as the court dismissed the appeal filed by Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, stating that the appeal lacked merit.

The appellate court noted that Governor Fubara had withdrawn his counter-affidavit in the lower court and, therefore, could not pursue an appeal on a matter he did not contest during the trial. The court emphasized that the governor must uphold the rule of law rather than exercise power arbitrarily.

Additionally, the court criticized the situation in the Rivers State House of Assembly, referring to it as an example of "executive dictatorship" by the governor and labeling the actions taken as a "joke taken too far."