FUBARA IN LIMBO AS LAWMAKERS SUSPEND SITTING INDEFINITELY

FUBARA IN LIMBO AS LAWMAKERS SUSPEND SITTING INDEFINITELY

The political face-off between the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and the state House of Assembly deepened on Friday as the governor’s plan to re-present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the lawmakers appeared to be failing.

Fubara had on Thursday written a fresh letter to the House informing the lawmakers of his intention to re-present the 2025 Appropriation Bill for consideration and approval.

The governor, in the letter dated March 13 and addressed to the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, said he intended to present the budget on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 or any other day in March that the House might deem fit.

Fubara said his decision was in compliance with the Supreme Court’s judgment and in response to the request by the lawmakers for him to re-present the budget.

The statement partly read, “It is my pleasure to again notify you, Mr Speaker, of my desire and intention to present the 2025 Budget to the Rivers State House of Assembly on Wednesday, 19th March, 2025 by 11am, or any other date within March 2025 that you may consider convenient.”

House adjourns indefinitely

However, the state House of Assembly on Friday adjourned its sitting sine die (indefinitely).

The decision to adjourn its legislative business indefinitely was reached during plenary presided over by the Speaker, Amaewhule, after the House passed three bills which it said would be forwarded to the governor for assent.

A statement by the media aide to the Speaker, Martins Wachukwu, said, “In furtherance of one of its tripod functions, the Rivers State House of Assembly, on Friday, at its 136th legislative sitting, passed three bills, which will be forwarded to His Excellency, the governor, for assent.”

Speaking on the reports, Amaewhule said, “What the House is simply doing is the domestication of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act of 2017 that gave certain powers and privileges to the legislature in the performance of its function.”

Tension in Abalama community

Meanwhile, there is tension in Abalama community, Asari-Toru Local Government Area of the state, as supporters of the governor, and those of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, are set to clash.

Loyalists of the two political heavyweights chose the same venue for their separate events.

While the Ijaw Youth Council, Eastern Zone, scheduled its congress at Abalama Community Secondary School field, some Ijaw stakeholders, known as the New Associates, equally settled for the same venue for a grand reception for Wike on Saturday.

This came against the background of recent comments credited to the FCT minister who allegedly said the Ijaw were a minority in the Niger Delta region.

Our correspondent gathered that the New Associates were mobilising to shut down Asari-Toru LGA during the reception for the minister.

The Chairman, Publicity Committee of the group, Dr Enemi George, in a statement in Port Harcourt, said chiefs, leaders, women and youths were excited that Wike, a friend of the Ijaw people, would visit Kalabari.

George said the event was arranged as a thanksgiving service in honour of the former governor for his love for the Kalabari Kingdom.

The statement read, “He (Wike) has done much for the kingdom and he deserves to be celebrated. We are calling on our chiefs, leaders, women, youths and stakeholders of the Kalabari Kingdom to make that day special.”

Similarly, the IYC said it scheduled its congress at the same venue, maintaining that nothing would stop them from holding it.

Saturday PUNCH gathered that anxiety had enveloped the area, with some residents planning to flee over fear of a possible clash between the Ijaw youths and security personnel that would be in the minister’s entourage.

Traditional rulers raise concerns

Reacting to the situation, the Forum of Traditional Rulers of the Kalabari Ethnic Nationality urged Fubara and the state security agencies to take immediate action to prevent a potential violent clash in the community.

The Forum, in a statement on Friday, raised concerns about the two opposing groups planning events at the same venue in Kalahari Kingdom.

The statement titled, ‘Clarion call to avert violent clashes and possible bloodshed between two groups in Kalahari land’ was signed by seven monarchs.

The monarchs are HRH, King Kariboye Karibo, Okio (III), Teinya (I), Amanyanabo of Idama/Ekulema, Akuku-Toru LGA, HRH, King Agolia Cookey Aboko, Omoni (XII) Amanyanabo of Ke Kingdom.

Others are HRH, King Iboroma Talbot Pokubo, Amanyanabo of Minama, and HRH, King Stephen J. Tobins JP, (Akee X), Amanyanabo of Bukuma.

The traditional rulers warned that if the programmes overlapped, it could lead to a breakdown of law and order.

To prevent any crisis, the monarchs called for the outright cancellation of all activities planned for the day regardless of prior approvals, even as they advised both parties to choose different venues if they wished to hold such activities this weekend.

RSIEC receives updated voter register

Ahead of the August 9, 2025 local government elections, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission said it had received the updated voters register for the state from the Independent National Electoral Commission.

RSIEC said it had also secured from INEC the list of registered political parties in the country.

The RSIEC Commissioner in charge of Media and Civic Education, Tamunótonye Tobins, disclosed this in a statement released in Port Harcourt on Thursday evening and obtained by our correspondent.

To this end, he said all was set for the conduct of a fresh LG poll as he assured people of the state of the commission’s resolve to conduct a free and fair election.

One of the reasons the Supreme Court gave for nullifying the last LG poll conducted in 2024 was that INEC said it didn’t release the updated register of voters for the state to RSIEC.