Rivers Politics: Court of Appeal Upholds Amaewhule as Speaker, Nullifies 2024 Budget
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed Martin Amaewhule as the duly recognized Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. The affirmation, made on Thursday, marks the resolution of a legal tussle over the legitimate leadership of the state’s legislative chamber, with the Court of Appeal ruling decisively in Amaewhule’s favor.
In a judgment delivered by a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, an unanimous decision was made to dismiss the appeal filed by Governor Fubara of Rivers State, finding it lacking in merit and insufficient to overturn the existing status quo.
The Court of Appeal upheld the previous ruling of the Federal High Court delivered by Justice James Omotosho, reaffirming the nullification of the 2024 Rivers State budget of renewed hope due to its violation of legal requirements. With its stern reprimand of Governor Fubara, the court made a clear statement that adherence to the rule of law is essential in government actions.
The court found that Governor Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 Rivers State Appropriation Bill to only four out of the thirty-one members of the State Assembly represented a flagrant violation of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The appellate court further determined that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s decision to withdraw the counter-affidavit initially filed in response to the suit filed by the Amaewhule-led lawmakers constituted an implicit admission of the validity of the claims made against him.
Recall that the 27 lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule had last year announced their defection from the PDP to the APC at the height of the crisis between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike.
The Assembly also became factionalised following a failed attempt by the pro-Wike lawmakers to impeach Fubara in October last year.
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