Rivers 2024 budget, other actions by ‘Fubara lawmakers’ are all illegalities, G27 faction declares

Governance in Rivers State may be in a stalemate as the lawmakers belonging to G27 faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Mr. Martins Amaewhule, have declared that every action taken by the four lawmakers loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara in the name of the Rivers State House of Assembly remains void and unconstitutional.

According to Amaewhule, who made the declaration during a dedication service and stakeholders’ meeting of the APC in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, the 4-man faction of the Assembly led by Edison Ehie cannot form a quorum and whatever they were doing in the name of the Assembly was null and void.

Ripples Nigeria recalls that the four lawmakers loyal to Fubara, had hurriedly sat at the Government House, Port Harcourt on the same day the House of Assembly complex was being demolished by the state government to pass the N800 billion 2024 budget of the state government.

The statement governor Fubara, thereafter signed the budget into law two days later, without any input or defence, or hearing from any stakeholders.

Speaking further, Amaewhule argued that their seats were not vacant, because their defection from the PDP to APC, was constititional and due to the crisis rocking the PDP in the state.

Amaewhule said: “We begged Mr President, the former president could not attend to the problems of the State, so we begged Mr President (Tinubu) that we have a problem. Look at the East-West Road; the Ogoni road unlike the previous president, the president gave us his words and said go back home irrespective of your party, I am a detribalized Nigerian. That’s what the president told us.

“We defected in line with the provision of the 1999 constitution, section 109. We didn’t do anything contrary to the constitution. We have evidence that there is crisis in the PDP. We have every right under the constitution to defect.

“We hear that some four persons gathered and are meeting somewhere we don’t know. Whatever they are doing, Rivers people should know it today the House of Assembly of any state is defined by the Constitution. The only way you can reconvene the House, you need to have quorum and quorum is 11. If you are not upto 11, anything you are doing is a family meeting.

READ ALSO:Fubara wanted to resign before feud with Wike blew open, Niger Delta leader reveals

“Anything they told you they have done, ignore them. It’s null and void. The law is clear anything you are doing, you must do it in line with the dictates of the constitution and the standing orders of the Rivers House of Assembly. We are 27 in all. They are just four. So whenever we meet it is Rivers State House of Assembly that is meeting.”

Amaewhule also disclosed that other reasons that led to their dumping the PDP include include the fact that President Tinubu is a man that keeps his words.

“The East-West Road, work is on going and in no distant time that project will be completed. Access to the refinery, access to all the companies along the stretch of the road will be complete.

“That is the president that says a thing and does it. Do you know what the president is doing since he became president, he has given appointments to Rivers people irrespective of parties. Mr. President for the first time gave a strategic appointment to somebody that is not from his party. It’s not only the appointment of the FCT Minister, he has given appointments to many Rivers sons.

“All the people he appointed are not APC members. The president shows that he is detribalised. So, in making a choice of which party to go to, this is a president that means well for the people. Let me inform you we have done investigation and we know that in the coming weeks, early next week, a lot will be done and we believe that when we have petroleum products refined in this part of the country, prices of petroleum products will drop. A lot of work is going on at the Port Harcourt refinery now.

“I did not say that everything is well in the country. The president has started well and the foundation is strong. The president needs the support of Nigerians.”

Ripples Nigeria reports that crisis engulfed the Rivers State House of Assembly, after lawmakers presumably loyal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike moved to impeach the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

The crisis got to a ahead when the state government embarked on the demolition of the State Assembly complex on the excuse that the structure was weak and unsuitable for the state lawmakers, after a fire incident.

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