17/03/2025
PRESS STATEMENT
RIVERS PEOPLE FACING GLOOMY FUTURE, AS UNCOOPERATIVE ACTIONS OF RT. HON. MARTINS AMAEWHULE-LED RIVERS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY IMPEDING GOVERNOR FUBARA'S READINESS TO IMPLEMENT SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT
It is now common knowledge that members of the Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly have by their actions refused to allow the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir (Dr.) Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS to fully implement the judgment of the Supreme Court on the long drawn political and legal battle that has lingered since after the ill-fated attempt to impeach him on October 30, 2023.
Right from when this unjustified onslaught against Governor Fubara started, the gentleman has never left anyone in doubt about his unwavering commitment to peace and resolute determination to put Rivers people FIRST over and above personal and/or sectional interests.
A few days after the Friday, February 28, 2025 shocking judgment of the Supreme Court on the consolidated cases touching on the seizure of federation revenue allocation due the state, annulment of the credible, free, fair and peaceful Local Government elections of Saturday, October 5, 2024, re-presentation of the 2025 budget to the Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly and the most contentious defection issue (which was never before the Apex Court, but surprisingly vaguely touched by the learned jurists of the 5-man panel), Governor Siminalayi Fubara has never left anyone in doubt about his preparedness not only to obey, but fully implement the Supreme Court judgment, no matter the unfortunate and unfavourable outcome.
STATEWIDE BROADCAST
In his statewide broadcast a few days after the judgment, Governor declared his acceptance of the judgement and made an unambiguous commitment to full compliance and implementation.
In that broadcast, he ordered the recently duly elected LGA Chairmen ousted by the Apex Court, to immediately hand over to the Heads of Local Government Administrations (HLGAs), even as he appealed to his supporters who are sad over the judgment to accept it with equanimity.
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) under the leadership of its indefatigable Chairman and Chief Electoral Officer, Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd.), in compliance with the Supreme Court verdict, convened a stakeholders meeting wherein all registered political parties in the state, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), Civil Society organisations (CSOs), the Press and general public were invited to attend at their headquarters in Port Harcourt.
At that stakeholders meeting, the Electoral umpire set the ball rolling for conduct of a fresh LGAs elections by releasing the elections timetable and elections guidelines, fixing August 9, 2025 for the exercise.
This is in full compliance of the Supreme Court judgment ordering a fresh election into the third tier of government.
The Rivers State House of Assembly in a frenzy, issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the State Chief Executive to re-represent the 2025 budget.
But observers who are knowledgeable on legislative procedures saw this RSHA action as an aberration and abuse of legislative duties and privileges.
While Rivers people were yet to digest the unfolding drama, the Rt. Amaewhule-led House issued another 48-hour ultimatum to the Chairman of RSIEC, the highly respected retired Justice Enebeli, who was appointed RSIEC Chairman by the former governor of the state and current FCT Minister, Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
They followed this bizarre action up with the issuance of a warrant of arrest of the gentleman and Commissioners of RSIEC.
Not done with that, they declared the appointment of 19 Commissioners by Governor Fubara as illegal, prompting the affected Commissioners to drag Amaewhule and his colleagues to court.
As if they are bent on fighting at all fronts, these lawmakers who should be settling to the business of law making for the good governance of Rivers State, accused the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Hon. Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi of age falsification, even inviting the operatives of the DSS to investigate him instead of reporting him to the Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC) the only authorized body responsible for investigation and discipline of judicial officers across the federation.
EXTENSION OF INVITATION BY GOVERNOR SIMINALAYI FUBARA TO RT. HON. MARTINS AMAEWHULE-LED RSHA FOR A MEETING IN THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE
In order to pave the way for rapprochement for the smooth operations of the Executive and Legislative arms of government, the Governor through a letter by the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Dr. Barr. Tammy Wenike Danagogo, DSSRS, invited the Martins Amaewhule-led RSHA to the Government House for a meeting.
This meeting was intended to among other things, discuss issues such as;
1. The 2025 budget re-representation,
2. Payment of accumulated arrears of the legislators' salaries and allowances,
3. Arrangement to provide a more suitable venue for the conduct of legislative businesses of the House.
To the surprise of every right thinking person, members of the RSHA rebuffed the Governor's invitation cm overture, even chiding him for routing the letter though the SSG.
It is on record that the SSG by his status, is in a position to issue or originate such administrative correspondence on behalf of the State Chief Executive.
In his characteristic manner of humility, simplicity and sincerity of purpose, His Excellency, Sir (Dr.) Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS personally issued and signed a letter addressed to Rt. Honourable Martin Amaewhule, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, formally notifying him and unambiguously indicating his intention to come before the honourable members of the State Legislature to lay the 2025 budget before them on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 for consideration. He followed this up by making phone calls to the Honourable Speaker.
Sadly, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, accompanied by government officials, were denied access into the Legislative Quarters where the RSHA members currently hold their sitting on the appointed day, that is, Wednesday, March 12, 2025.
He had to adjust his itinerary for project commissioning of the remodeled Zonal Hospital, Bori, headquarters of Khana LGA to keep faith with that appointment.
It is worrisome to hear the lawmakers alleging that Governor Fubara did not communicate properly, falsely claiming that his letter to them was only read on social media!
Haba!!
GOVERNOR FUBARA'S LETTER FOR RE-PRESENTATION OF BUDGET ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19 AND HOUSE ANNOUNCEMENT OF VACATION SINE DIE
Just last Friday, March 14, 2025, Governor Siminalayi Fubara in keeping with his resolve to do the needful, sent another letter personally signed by him to the House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Amaewhule, again to notify him and members of the RSHA under his leadership, indicating his plan to come to re-present the 2025 budget to them on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 or any other day that may be convenient to the House, in compliance with the Supreme Court verdict, in order to keep the wheel of government of the state running.
In a letter dated 13th March, 2025, Governor Fubara again requested to present the budget to the Assembly on Wednesday 19th March, 2025 ör on any other date within March 2025 that you may consider convenient”.
Regrettably, the staff of the Assembly refused to receive and acknowledge the letter. A courier company which was engaged to deliver the letter also returned it with a report that it was rejected at the Assembly Quarters where the members currently sit.
Yet the narrative from the Rivers State House of Assembly is that Governor Fubara has refused to present the budget.
Although it is tempting to ignore false narratives in the social media that Governor Fubara has refused to take steps to present the budget to the Assembly, we cannot ignore the press briefing by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Dr Enemi George alleging that the Governor is frustrating the implementation of the Supreme Court’s judgment, particularly the directive requiring him to re-present the 2025 Appropriate Bill to the lawmakers.
Following the refusal by the Assembly to receive and acknowledge the Governor’s letter, delivered by government officials and a courier company, the Rivers State Government took the initiative of publishing the letter in two national dailies – The Nation and The Guardian – on Friday the 14th of March, 2025. It would be uncharitable to claim that the Governor’s letter was published on social media and not formally delivered to the Assembly.
Dr. Enemi George also challenged the Governor to produce an acknowledgment copy of the letter under reference. We cannot produce an acknowledgment copy because the Assembly rejected the letter from the Governor. We can however refer all parties to the substituted means of service in The Nation and The Guardian.
The Rivers State Governor is acting in good faith notwithstanding that false narratives are being peddled by the same people frustrating compliance with the judgment of court.
To the chagrin of all right thinking persons, the Assembly members announced that it was proceeding on vacation and Legislative activities adjourned sine die!
CONSEQUENCES AND HARSH REALITY OF RSHA'S ACTIONS ON RIVERS PEOPLE VIS-A-VIS RUNNING OF THE GOVERNMENT
It is glaringly clear that with the current actions of the House, the dire consequences and harsh realities that the civil servants, retirees and people of the state will face UNIMAGINABLE economic hardships, as the government will be unable to pay salaries, pensions and other emoluments as well as perform other obligations at the end of the month, as both the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant-General of the Federation have been ordered to seize revenue allocations to the state until its judgment is fully implemented.
The collateral damages of the actions of legislative arm of government in Rivers will be so severe as non release of warehoused revenues due the state from the Federation Account will ultimately ground the operation of all sectors of the government.
AN APPEAL FOR A RETHINK BY RSHA
Instead of embarking on a futile image laundry by members of the RSHA by wrongly claiming that Governor Siminalayi Fubara who by all intents and purposes is prepared, willing and ready to re-present the 2025 budget and carry out full implementation of all aspects of the bizarre and utterly controversial judgment of the Apex Court for the sake of peace, is being misrepresented and painted in bad colour as not ready to comply with the judgment.
Should this opportunity to pull the state from the precipice fail, the people and residents of the state without exception are bound to suffer avoidable calamities of economic, social and political upheavals that might sink us deeper into unimaginable crises.
A stitch in time, they say, saves nine.
~ Warisenibo Joe Johnson
Honourable Commissioner for Information and Communications
