The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has voided and set aside the presentation and passage of the Rivers State 2024 Budget by a few members of the state’s assembly.
In a judgment delivered on Monday, the court ordered the governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, to represent the budget to the legally constituted House of Assembly under Speaker Martin Amaewhule.
The Court, which also restrained Governor Fubara from removing or transferring the Clerk and Deputy Clerk of the House, further stopped the Governor from withholding funds accruable to the State House of Assembly, “as doing so is going against the principle of separation of powers as enshrined in the constitution.”
The court restrained Governor Fubara from frustrating the House of Assembly under Amaewhule from sitting or interfering in the affairs of the House. It also barred the National Assembly from entertaining any requests from the governor to take over activities of the Rivers assembly.
The Inspector General of Police was ordered to immediately give adequate security to the Speaker and legislators loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike.
The Court also ruled that Edison Ehie, having resigned his position as speaker and member of the River State Assembly, has lost the capacity to sue or be sued in any matter pertaining to the Rivers Assembly.
Also, the planned demolition and reconstruction of the State Assembly complex was put on hold by the court.
