BREAKING: Appeal Court Sets Aside Rivers' N800b Budget Passed By Fubara's CoS' Group, Details Emerge

• The Court of Appeal has affirmed the judgment of the federal high court which set aside the Rivers’ state N800 billion budget passed by five members of the house of assembly led by the Edison Ehie faction
• The appellate court dismissed the appeal filed by the Governor of Rivers state, Siminalayi Fubara on grounds that it lacked in merit
• Amongst other reasons, the three man panel held that Governor Fubara withdrew his counter-affidavit at the lower court in the matter and as such cannot commence an appeal in a matter he failed to challenge at the trial stage

Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering politics and governance in Nigeria.

FCT, Abuja - The Court of Appeal, Abuja, on Thursday, October 10, affirmed the judgment of the federal high court (FHC) which set aside the N800 billion budget passed by five members of the Rivers state house of assembly.

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The present chief of staff (CoS) to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Edison Ehie led the quintet at the time.

The Rivers' political crisis was evolving at the time and Ehie was the factional speaker of the state house of assembly.

In the unanimous judgement, the appellate court dismissed the appeal filed by the Governor Fubara on grounds that it lacked merit. It held that Fubara withdrew his counter-affidavit at the lower court in the matter and as such cannot start an appeal in a matter he did not challenge at the trial stage.

The court said that Governor Fubara is expected to apply the rule of law and not the rule of might.

Furthermore, the court described the present situation in the Rivers state house of assembly as "an executive dictatorship" by Governor Fubara and "a joke taken too far".

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Newly sworn-in Rivers LG chairmen Flee

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that disturbing violence erupted in several parts of Rivers state, leading to arson, shooting, and fatalities.

The cycle of violence forced the newly sworn-in local government (LG) chairpersons to flee their secretariats.

Considering the targeted attacks, it was difficult for the Governor Fubara-backed chairmen to perform administrative duties from their respective LG secretariats.

Source: Legit.ng