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Rivers Budget In Limbo Amid Court Confusion

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A wave of confusion and political unrest swept through Rivers State on Monday as two Federal High Courts in Abuja issued conflicting orders, deepening the ongoing political crisis.

A federal High Court made a bold move by nullifying the N800.3 billion 2024 Appropriation Bill, previously passed by a faction of the House of Assembly led by former Speaker Edison Ehie and endorsed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Justice James Omotosho, delivering the judgment, declared the budget invalid due to improper presentation and directed Governor Siminalayi Fubara to resubmit it to the Assembly now under the leadership of Mr. Martin Amaewhule.

Additionally, the court officially recognized Amaewhule as the legitimate Speaker of the Rivers State Assembly, adding another layer of complexity to the unfolding legal battle.

The court criticized Governor Fubara for allegedly interfering in the state’s legislative affairs, accusing him of acting like a tyrant by demolishing the Rivers State Assembly complex and withholding funds allocated to the legislative House.

The defendants in the suit included prominent figures such as the National Assembly, Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Senate Majority Leader, Senate Minority Leader, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Deputy Speaker, House Majority Leader, House Minority Leader, and the Clerk to the National Assembly.

Additionally, the governor of Rivers State, Attorney-General of Rivers, Commissioner of Finance, Accountant-General of Rivers, Rivers State Civil Service Commission, Inspector-General of Police, and Edison Ehie were named in the legal proceedings.

In the legal proceedings, the Rivers House of Assembly and its Speaker, Mr. Martin Amaewhule, held the positions of the 1st and 2nd plaintiffs, respectively.

Shortly after, a different court issued an order mandating all parties to uphold the current state of affairs.

This directive, pending the resolution of an ex-parte motion filed by six state elders, seeks to block Governor Fubara from re-presenting the 2024 budget to the Amaewhule-led faction of the Assembly.

Justice J. O. Abdulmalik not only endorsed the order for substituted service of the application on all defendants but also slated a hearing for February 28, injecting a fresh element of legal intricacy into the unfolding narrative.

Led by Mr. Victor Jumbo, a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly representing Bonny State Constituency, the plaintiffs in the case include Senator Bennett Birabi, Senator Andrew Uchendu, Rear Admiral O. Fingesi, Ann Kio Briggs, and Emmanuel Deinma.

Their legal team, headed by Mr. Olukayode Ajulo, SAN, petitioned the court to declare the seats of 27 lawmakers in the state, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), as vacant.

In response to Justice Omotosho’s judgment, Anabs Sara-Igbe, a member of the Rivers State Elders Forum and spokesperson for the Pan-Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF), criticized the governor, alleging an inability to effectively counter and protect his political career.

Sara-Igbe said though the judgment was “not a death sentence, he can as well appeal the judgment because it is not in his political interest. How can you fold your hands and allow yourself to be dragged to the slaughter?

“They are in the process of impeaching you. That is why you have to fight back and not give them any chance to remove you from office as governor.”

Maintaining his stance, Anabs Sara-Igbe asserted that, according to Section 109 of the 1999 Constitution, the 26 defected lawmakers effectively do not exist, making it inappropriate to present the budget to them.

He emphasized that the budget had already been passed into law, aligning with the perspective of the people of Rivers State.

On the flip side, the Rivers State Chapter of the APC welcomed the court’s decision to nullify the N800 billion budget passed by the Edison Ehie-led faction of the Assembly.

Speaking to the press in Port Harcourt, Tony Okocha, Chairman of the APC in Rivers State, expressed, “The budget was presented in error. There is no way four Assembly members will be sitting as an Assembly when the law stipulated one-third, which is about 10 members.

“So, it means that the Assembly never met, and for the governor to take such a risk amounts to putting something on nothing.”

“So, the decision of the Federal High Court, which also stopped the Governor from interfering with the affairs of the Rivers State House of Assembly, is in order and is welcomed by us.”

 

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NEWS

Showunmi Urges South-East to Judge Tinubu by Projects, Not Propaganda

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Otunba Segun Showunmi, a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) for 2027, has urged the South-East to assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration based on verifiable projects and measurable results rather than political propaganda.

Showunmi made the call in a statement posted on X on Saturday, urging Nigerians to evaluate the government’s performance based on infrastructure delivery, funds committed to projects and their impact on communities.

He said federal infrastructure initiatives targeting the South-East under Tinubu’s administration deserved serious scrutiny and factual assessment, adding that unfulfilled promises should continue to be pursued until the expected results were delivered.

SEE ALSO: 2027 Election: ‘Look Beyond the Noise’ – Showunmi Urges Nigerians to Give Tinubu More Time

“Our message is clear: We will not trade facts for propaganda, nor accountability for political loyalty!” he said.

The political figure challenged critics of the administration to provide evidence to support their claims, while urging those defending the government to present the projects and demonstrate their impact.

He also called on government officials to publish relevant figures, disclose project timelines and provide measurable results, insisting that no public official should be exempt from scrutiny.

According to Showunmi, the South-East deserves infrastructure that supports economic growth, including roads that connect markets, investments that create jobs and policies that expand economic opportunities.

He maintained that political representation must translate into tangible benefits for citizens, stressing that public office should deliver value to the people.

As part of his call to action, Showunmi urged Nigerians to scrutinise government records, challenge misinformation with evidence and demand the completion of outstanding projects.

He further called for public commitments to be matched by measurable delivery, arguing that leadership should be assessed by facts and results rather than political rhetoric.

Ending his statement with the slogan, “Asiwaju is a goal,” Showunmi called for accountability and greater inclusion of the South-East in Nigeria’s development.

Showunmi is associated with The Alternative and is a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 elections.

 

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Lagos: LASTMA Announces Traffic Restrictions Along Route to Toll Gate

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The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Saturday announced a temporary road closure near Apostolic Church, inward Toll Gate, to allow engineers to install a beam on a height-restriction structure.

The agency said the installation was aimed at preventing high-rise trailers from accessing the newly constructed pedestrian bridge.

ALSO READ: LASTMA Alerts Motorists to Traffic Delays on Ogunnusi Road

“Currently, one lane has been occupied to facilitate the ongoing construction work, while the remaining two lanes are available to motorists,” LASTMA stated.

The agency advised road users to approach the affected corridor with caution and follow the directions of its personnel deployed to the area.

“Road users are advised to approach the affected corridor with caution and follow the directions of our personnel who are on ground to ensure the smooth flow of vehicular movement,” the statement added.

LASTMA also urged motorists to remain patient while the installation work continued.

“Motorists are encouraged to exercise patience while the installation work is in progress,” the agency stated.

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‘Oseni Rufai Helped Me, Not NiDCOM’ — Ekene Chukwuma on Return to Nigeria

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Nigerian national Ekene Chukwuma has said he returned to Nigeria with assistance linked to Oseni Rufai rather than the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), while renewing allegations against the commission’s chairperson, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, over his travel documents.

Chukwuma made the remarks in an interview in which he explained how he returned to Nigeria after spending months at a deportation camp in India.

RELATED NEWS: Rufai Oseni Row: NiDCOM Breaks Silence on Nigerians Detained in India, Addresses Ekene’s Case

“My name is Kenneth Chukwu, from Enugu State,” he said, introducing himself before explaining how he returned to the country.

“I came back here with the assist of Osini Roufai, a good friend of him,” he said.

Chukwuma denied that NiDCOM facilitated his return, alleging that the commission had published false information about his case.

“NiDCOM made a lots of false, uh, news acquisition against me, which is still in Abike Dabiri handle in Twitter,” he said.

He also accused Dabiri-Erewa of sharing his expired international passport and a travel certificate he claimed was issued six months after he entered the detention camp.

“He also, she also posted my international passport that expired. He also, she also posted my TC that issued after 6 months,” he said.

His comments renew questions surrounding the handling of his case and the circumstances under which he obtained the documents needed to return to Nigeria.

Chukwuma’s detention in India previously sparked a public disagreement between ARISE News presenter Oseni Rufai and Dabiri-Erewa over NiDCOM’s response to reports of his situation.

Oseni raised concerns about Chukwuma’s detention and the commission’s handling of the case, while Dabiri-Erewa defended NiDCOM’s position and explained the process for submitting information to the commission.

NiDCOM subsequently issued its account of Chukwuma’s detention, stating that he had been arrested in India over a visa overstay and addressing the circumstances surrounding his travel documents.

The differing accounts prompted public debate about the commission’s response to Nigerians facing immigration difficulties abroad.

 

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