Court upholds nullification of Rivers N800bn 2024 budget passed by 4 lawmakers

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reaffirmed the nullification of Rivers State’s N800 billion 2024 budget, initially passed by only four members of the House of Assembly.

This decision upholds the January 22 ruling by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Joseph Oyewole, on Thursday, deemed the Rivers State Governor’s appeal against the January 22 judgment as “unmeritorious.”

Justice Oyewole emphasized that by withdrawing all processes filed against the suit at the trial court, the governor conceded to the allegations and facts presented by the plaintiffs, thereby forfeiting his right to appeal.

“The appeal is unmeritorious,” Justice Oyewole stated. “Having failed to challenge the case at the trial court, by withdrawing all the processes he filed against the suit, he cannot turn around to now seek to appeal the judgment.”

Justice Omotosho’s initial ruling described the passage of the 2024 Appropriation Bill by four lawmakers, led by Ehie Edison, as “an aberration and illegality.” Consequently, Governor Fubara was ordered to re-present the budget to the Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly.

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