The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has lauded the the Federal High Court in Abuja, for its decision on the the N800billion budget passed by the Edison Ehie-led group of the Rivers State House of Assembly and signed into law by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.Justice James of the Federal High Court Abuja had nullified the N800billion budget signed into law by Governor Fubara and also upheld the suit filed by the Assembly and Speaker Martin Amaewhule, against Fubara, which sought an order of injunction restraining the governor from frustrating the Assembly under his leadership as speaker, among others.On December 13, 2023, Fubara presented the 2024 budget proposal of N800bn to five members of the State Assembly led by Edison Ehie.The presentation was done at the Government House in Port Harcourt, following the demolition of the Assembly Complex by the state government and after a court restrained Ehie’s contender, Martins Amaewhule, from using the Assembly Complex.Ehie and the other pro-Fubara lawmakers passed the budget estimates and the governor signed the bill into law, saying it is aimed at promoting economic development through inclusive growth and addressing socio-economic inequality in the state.On Monday, Ken Njemanze who is counsel for Amaewhule, accused the governor of interfering with the performance and functions of the state lawmakers contrary to the doctrine of the separation of powers.Therefore, sought an order of injunction restraining the 1st to 10th defendants (NASS) from entertaining any request from the 11th defendant (Fubara) to take over the performance of the functions of Rivers Assembly, including its role to make laws for the peace, order and good government of Rivers in respect of matters that are within its constitutional and legislative competence.Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt, on the development, Chairman of the APC in Rivers, Tony Okocha commended the judiciary for its decision on the matter.He emphasized that the budget was never presented in the first instance because the Ehie-led group did not meet the 1/3 statutory requirement of forming a quorum in the House. Okocha said, “The budget was presented in error. There is no way four Assembly Members will be sitting as an Assembly when the law stipulated one-third, which is about 10 members. So it means that the Assembly never met, and for the Governor to take such a risk amounts to putting something on nothing. So the decision of the Federal High Court, which also stopped the Governor from interfering with the affairs of the Rivers State House of Assembly, is in order and is welcomed by us.”Okocha opined that the decision of the Federal High Court is a victory for the people of Rivers State, “as it has cleared the way for the Governor to present the budget properly”. He called on the Governor Fubara, to present the budget to the Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly in the interest of the good people of Rivers State.
Blessing Ibunge
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