The National Vanguard for Rule of Law (NVRL) has swiftly dismissed the attempt by former Rivers State Assembly lawmakers to disrupt the state government’s expenditure. In a strongly worded statement signed by Comrade Johnson Babatunde, the NVRL labeled the move as “illegal, null and void”.
It should be recalled that the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly purportedly initiated a shutdown of all government expenditures until Governor Siminalayi Fubara presents his budget before the House. The former lawmakers went as far as voting to block the Rivers State Consolidated Revenue Account, effectively preventing any spending by Governor Fubara’s administration.
However, in a firm response, Babatunde reminded Amaewhule and the 24 others that their seats had been declared vacant on December 13, 2023, after they defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We have taken note of a media report in which former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by the former Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, passed a resolution to halt all state government expenditures until Governor Siminalayi Fubara resubmits the 2024 budget estimates to them,” the statement read.
“We categorically declare the action of these former lawmakers, who are loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, as illegal, null and void.
“For the sake of clarity, Governor Fubara signed the N800 billion budget into law in December 2023 after presenting it before lawmakers led by former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, who duly passed it into law.
“We would like to remind Amaewhule and the 24 others that their seats were declared vacant on December 13, 2023, following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“They are now former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, not current members. How, then, do they expect Governor Fubara to present the 2024 budget of Rivers State before them?
“We also want to remind the courts that Amaewhule and his group no longer hold any seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly. Therefore, any attempt to seek an injunction to deny Governor Fubara access to the consolidated revenue fund of the state or hinder ministries, departments, and agencies in Rivers State from accessing their accounts to implement the 2024 budget should be promptly dismissed by the courts.
“We urge the banks to be aware of the current status of these former lawmakers and refrain from treating them as current members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“We have noticed that the adversaries of Rivers State are targeting the state government’s budget and accounts in an attempt to hinder the remarkable progress achieved by Governor Fubara in implementing the 2024 budget, which has garnered praise from within and beyond the state.
“It is worth noting that immediately after signing the 2024 budget into law, Governor Fubara initiated the Trans-Kalabari road project phase 2, as well as the Elele-Omoku Road project that passes through Ikwerre, Emohua, and Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Areas of the state, among other commendable projects.
“These achievements have unsettled those aligned with Wike’s camp, leading them to attack the state’s finances in an endeavor to slow down Governor Fubara’s delivery of the dividends of democracy to the people of Rivers State.
“We call upon the good people of Rivers State and all Nigerians to ensure that these former Rivers lawmakers do not succeed in their malicious acts against Rivers State.”
