BREAKING: Court Gives Striking Verdict on Fubara vs Wike's Battle for Rivers Assembly

• Rivers governor Siminalayi Fubara has lost his appeal to have control of the state House of Assembly to his godfather turned harsh rival, Nyesom Wike
• This, as the Court of Appeal reaffirmed Honourable Martin Amaewhule as the authentic leader of the state House of Assembly
• Amaewhule and the majority of the lawmakers are loyal to Wike and the judgment is coming amid renewed tension in the state

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reaffirmed Honourable Martin Amaewhule as the legitimate speaker of the Rivers state assembly. This came days after the rift between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, escalated.

In a unanimous decision, the three-member panel of justices validated Amaewhule-led members as authentic lawmakers for the state and dismissed Governor Fubara's appeal.

Why court affirmed Wike's loyalist as speaker

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Rivers Assembly: Fubara fights back, orders lawyers to appeal judgement, file stay of execution

According to Vanguard, the appeal stemmed from a January 22 Federal High Court judgment that nullified the 2024 Rivers State budget because it was presented to only four out of 31 assembly members, violating section 91 of the 1999 Constitution. Fubara's decision to withdraw a counter-affidavit challenging Amaewhule-led lawmakers' legitimacy further weakened his case.

The Rivers state assembly was divided due to the rift between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. Fubara presented the N800 billion budget to four lawmakers led by Hon. Edison Ehie, who had emerged as a factional speaker.

However, following President Bola Tinubu's intervention, Fubara and Wike signed a peace pact restoring Amaewhule as Speaker.

Court described Governor Fubara's action as unconstitutional

The court ruled that Fubara's actions, including demolishing the assembly complex and withholding funds, were unconstitutional and tyrannical. The National Assembly cannot take over state legislative affairs without meeting section 11 of the 1999 Constitution's preconditions.

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BREAKING: Appeal Court sets aside Rivers' N800b budget passed by Fubara's CoS' group, details emerge

The Court of Appeal then ordered Governor Fubara to pay N500,000 to each respondent in the suit, adding that its decision reaffirms the importance of constitutional adherence and legislative autonomy.

Fubara set to probe burning of LG secretariats

Legit.ng earlier reported that Siminalayi Fubara, the governor of Rivers state, said he would ensure those behind the burning of local government secretariats in the state faced the wrath of the law.

During the swearing of new commissioners, the governor vowed that his government would not stand and watch political thugs in the state.

Following the outcome of local government elections in the state, no less than four council secretariats were burned down.

Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng

Source: Legit.ng