2024 Budget: Court Nullifies Rivers Appropriation Bill 

2024 Budget: Court Nullifies Rivers Appropriation Bill 

The 2024 Appropriation Bill of Rivers State has been nullified by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In a judgement delivered by Justice James Omotosho on Monday, the court declared the budget invalid due to improper presentation before the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The court recognized Martin Amaewhule as the authentic Speaker of the Assembly and criticized Governor Fubara for interfering in the legislative affairs of the state.

It ruled that the governor acted unconstitutionally by redeploying the Clerk and Deputy Clerk of the Assembly, stating that he lacked the authority to interfere with the Assembly’s operations.

Additionally, the court concluded that the conditions for the National Assembly to take over the legislative affairs of Rivers State, as outlined in Section 11 of the 1999 Constitution, had not been met.

As a result, the court issued an injunction restraining Governor Fubara from impeding the Assembly’s operations under Amaewhule’s leadership and from proceeding with plans to demolish the Assembly complex.

The court also ordered the release of all funds belonging to the Assembly.

The defendants in the case included the National Assembly, the governor of Rivers State, and various other government officials and entities.

The dispute arose from a strained relationship between Governor Fubara and his predecessor and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, which led to a division within the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Despite a peace pact that recognized Amaewhule as the rightful Speaker, Governor Fubara had yet to comply with the request to present the 2024 appropriation bill to the Amaewhule-led faction for approval.