Following their victory at the Appeal Court last week, the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule held a plenary on Monday during which it issued a 7-day ultimatum to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to re-present the 2024 budget to the Assembly.
Recall that on Monday last week, a 3-member panel of the Court of Appeal held that the lower court lacked the jurisdiction to grant the exparte order restraining the 25 members of the state Assembly loyal to Nyesom Wike from parading themselves as members of the Rivers State Assembly.
The court held that Section 272(3) of the Constitution gives the Federal High Court powers to determine whether the seat of a House of Assembly member has become vacant or not.
According to the court, the express mention of the Federal High Court in Section 272 (3) of the Constitution automatically excludes all state high courts from having such jurisdiction. It rendered the exparte order of the State High court null and void.
Arising from their victory at the Court of Appeal, the pro-Wike members held their first sitting on Monday after several months demanding that Gov Fubara should re-present the 2024 Appropriation bill which had already been signed into law by the governor after it was considered and passed by the other House when his current Chief of Staff Edison Ehie presided as the Speaker. Rt Hon Victor Oko Jumbo is currently the Speaker of the pro-Fubara Assembly.
