Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, said yesterday he is afraid of what could happen as consequence of the political crisis going on in the state.
The Supreme Court had last weekend in its judgement, gave the governor 48 hours to present the 2025 budget to the lawmakers in the state.
Fubara, who spoke during the inauguration of the residential quarters for Government House staff in Port Harcourt said the worst thing that can happen to him is to leave the position of governor.
He said anytime his administration wanted to achieve stability, an obstacle always arose to bring the state to ground zero.
While commending the people for supporting his administration, amid the political crisis in the state, the governor said: “No matter how we have been fooled in this state, it has got to the point where the people of the state have decided to take their destinies in their hands.
“In as much as I don’t subscribe to violence, when the time comes for us to make a decision, I will lead the course for that decision.
“I’m not scared of anything; the worst that can happen is for me to leave office. Am I leaving the earth? Will it stop me from existing? I’m not bothered about that. The right thing must be done and said when the opportunity is given to us.
“I assure you that I will lead you with honour, I will lead you with respect, and I will lead you with integrity, knowing that when I leave here, I will have questions to answer if I am called upon 20-30 years from today.
‘’I want to be proud to defend my position. So, I thank you and assure you that I will not disappoint you.”
But before addressing the crowd, Fubara had opened his speech with a passage from the Holy Bible, Philippians 3:18-19, emphasizing faith and resilience in the face of challenges.
“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. Despite everything, victory is sure,” he declared.
Meanwhile, the Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly yesterday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the governor to present the 2025 budget before the House without further delay.
Recall that Fubara had on January 2, signed the state’s N1.1 trillion 2025 budget into law, after presenting it to the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led state assembly.
However, after Friday’s Supreme Court verdict, in which the Supreme Court ordered Amaewhule and 26 others to resume sitting as legitimate members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the House asked Fubara to legally present the budget to them.
At the 130 legislative day of the Second Session of the Tenth (10) Assembly, the House, among others, deliberated on judgements of the Supreme Court in suits number SC/CV/1174/2024 and SC/CV/1105/2024 delivered on February 28, 2025 and resolved as follows:
“That pursuant to the order of the Supreme Court in Suit no.: SC/CV/1174/2024 for the stoppage of statutory federal allocations to Rivers State Government and halting of spending from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State, pending the passage of an Appropriation Bill, you are requested to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the House in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
‘’That the House expects you to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill within 48 hours. That since the Supreme Court in the judgement delivered in Suit no.: SC/cv/1105/2024 nullified the purported Rivers State Local Government elections of October 5, 2024, for non-compliance with the Electoral Act, among other reasons, the House would soon commence the process of amending the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law No. 2 of 2018 so they can be in tandem with the Electoral Act and pave way for the commencement of plans for fresh local government elections in the state.”
The House in a letter to the governor, also drew his attention to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended; the Rivers State Local Government (Amendment) Law, 2023 as well as the judgement of the Supreme Court in Suit No: Sc/CV/343/2024 that prohibits the administration of local governments by heads of local government administrations, HLGAs, or any other persons other than democratically elected officials.
The letter to the governor, signed by Martins Amaewhule, noted that the House will proceed on a 12- week recess from Friday, March 7, 2025, but noted that standing committees will be expected to continue statutory functions.
“Please be informed that our resolutions are geared towards a quick fix to the current financial quagmire occasioned by the absence of an Appropriation Law for Rivers State.
‘’We do not want Rivers State people to suffer. We, therefore, urge you to act fast and do the needful in the best interest of the good people of Rivers State,” the letter read.