Rivers Lawmakers Accuse Governor Fubara OF Sabotaging Budget Passage Over Ego And Personal Interest

Rivers State lawmakers have accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of intentionally stalling the passage of the 2025 budget, putting personal interests ahead of the state’s governance.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The tension between Fubara and the State House of Assembly escalated following the Supreme Court’s reinstatement of lawmakers loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, leading to heated exchanges between Speaker Martins Amaewhule and 27 other legislators.

In an interview with DAILY POST, Hon. Enemi George, Chairman of the Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Information and spokesperson for the Assembly, responded to the governor’s claims that he was blocked from presenting the budget. George refuted the governor’s statements, asserting that no formal letter had been received by the Assembly.

He further alleged that Fubara’s lack of engagement with the legislature was negatively impacting crucial financial allocations, such as salaries and pensions.

The governor recently accused the Assembly of obstructing his efforts to re-present the 2025 budget in accordance with the Supreme Court ruling. However, Hon. George rejected this, saying, “We have been asking the governor to bring the budget. If he hasn’t done so, it’s his decision. The governor claimed he wrote to us and was denied access, but that is untrue. There was no letter sent to the House as he claimed.”

He continued, “The governor has written to us in the past, such as when he presented a supplementary budget or requested commissioner screenings. This is a simple process, but the governor is manipulating the situation by circulating letters on social media. He has never formally communicated with us. His actions are not sincere, and he is playing with the lives of Rivers State citizens.”

Hon. George also revealed that the Assembly had formally invited the governor to present the budget after the Supreme Court’s ruling. “We sent a letter to him immediately after the ruling, requesting that he present the budget within 48 hours. Our goal was to conduct a budget hearing by the 15th and pass it by the 16th,” he stated.

He emphasized the urgency, noting that many pensioners, including his own mother, were waiting for their payments. “The governor owes us too, so it’s in our best interest that the budget is passed. However, his ego and personal interests are preventing him from acting. If the budget isn’t ready, then what he presented to those three people was just an empty box. He should have simply asked for more time, and we would have managed it. The governor is not being honest, and there’s no official communication from him to the Assembly. We only hear about it on social media.”