The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld a previous ruling by the Federal High Court that invalidated the presentation and passage of the 2024 budget for Rivers State.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on Thursday, the appellate court dismissed the appeal filed by Siminalayi Fubara, the Governor of Rivers State, stating that it lacked merit.
Earlier in January 2024, Justice James Omotoso of the Federal High Court in Abuja had ruled that the presentation and approval of Rivers State’s budget were illegal. The judge ordered Governor Fubara to re-present the N800 billion budget, titled the “Budget of Renewed Hope, Consolidation, and Continuity,” to a legally constituted House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, the factional speaker.
At the time, Fubara had presented the budget to five lawmakers from the Edison Ehie-led faction, out of over 30 assembly members. This presentation came after 27 legislators from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), leading to their seats being declared vacant.
The Federal High Court’s ruling also barred Governor Fubara from interfering in the activities of the legislative arm of the state and nullified the redeployment of the clerk and deputy clerk of the Rivers State Assembly.
The governor was further directed to release all funds owed to the assembly to ensure its smooth operation.
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