Fubara Sparks Controversy, Downplays Supreme Court’s Budget Decision As Meaningless

In a statement issued on Monday by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Communication, Warisenibo Joe Johnson, Fubara dismissed the opposition’s reaction to the court proceedings as “misguided political propaganda.”

The governor explained that his legal team opted to withdraw the appeal because the 2024 budget cycle officially ended on December 31, 2024, making any further legal action unnecessary. “The appeal served no useful purpose. The most reasonable course of action was to withdraw it and have it dismissed,” Fubara stated.

He also took aim at opposition figures celebrating the withdrawal, calling their actions a “desperate attempt to mislead the public.” Fubara emphasized that the Supreme Court should not be burdened with cases that no longer have practical implications. “The Supreme Court is an extremely busy institution. It would be irresponsible to clog its docket with academic appeals lacking any utilitarian value. That’s the same appeal these urchins are celebrating,” he remarked.

The statement clarified that the Supreme Court did not rule against Governor Fubara but simply accepted the voluntary withdrawal of the appeal. “There is no Supreme Court judgment against Governor Fubara. Disregard the outdated political propaganda being pushed by desperate politicians,” Johnson added.

Fubara reiterated that the Supreme Court’s decision was not a win for the opposition but rather a procedural closure to an irrelevant case, as the 2024 budget had already been fully executed.

This development comes amid escalating political tensions in Rivers State, particularly between Governor Fubara’s administration and lawmakers aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. The 2024 budget had been at the center of the rift, further straining the relationship between Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly.