Uncertainty has once again gripped the political landscape in Rivers State as the 7-day ultimatum issued by the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly for Governor Siminalayi Fubara to resubmit the 2024 budget reaches its deadline this week.
The ultimatum, given on July 8, will expire today if weekends are counted, or on Wednesday if they are excluded. The Assembly's order followed a motion by Dumle Maol, Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary. Maol, also the Deputy Speaker of the Pro-Nyesom Wike Assembly, urged the House to formally notify the governor to present the budget, citing a recent court ruling that affirmed their membership and validated Amaewhule's leadership.
Re-presenting the budget was a key component of the presidential peace pact in December, aimed at resolving the political crisis in the South-South state. Previously, Governor Fubara had submitted the ₦800bn budget to the Assembly led by Edison Ehie, who now serves as the Governor's Chief of Staff. The faction of the Assembly is now led by Victor Oko-Jumbo.
READ ALSO: Amaewhule-Led Assembly Issues 7-Day Ultimatum for Fubara to Resubmit 2024 Budget
The budget, which was passed and signed into law, is still being implemented, suggesting that the peace agreement has faltered. Last week, Governor Fubara announced that his administration is already preparing the 2025 budget, indicating that the demand for the re-presentation of the 2024 budget is unrealistic.
The crisis in Rivers State, which began about eight months ago, continues to evolve. It started with a fire at the State House of Assembly in October, followed by an attempted impeachment of Fubara, massive resignations from the executive cabinet, and unrest over local government administration. This phase culminated in a failed attack on the Presidential Hotel.
With the 2024 budget presentation deadline set for this week, the political climate in the state appears tense as the assembly and the governor navigate the ongoing crisis. Meanwhile, Chijioke Ihunwo, a pro-Fubara politician from the same community as Amaewhule, has dismissed the 7-day ultimatum on the governor as laughable.
Ihunwo, who the governor appointed as the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, urged Amaewhule to accept his fate as a former assembly member after defecting from the People’s Democratic Party to the All-Progressives Congress. He encouraged the people of Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality, comprising Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, and Emohua Local Government Areas, to continue supporting the Governor under the leadership of former Senator John Azuta-Mbata.
The politician, criticized for appointing 100 aides last week, defended the decision, saying it aimed to bring local government administration closer to the grassroots. He announced that more appointments would be made in the coming days to demonstrate that the Fubara-led government is inclusive.
