Justice Uwani Abba-Aji-led five-man panel of Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal filed by the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, challenging the leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and led by Martin Amaewhule.
Justice Uwani Abba-Aji while dismissing the appeal awarded a cost of two million naira against the governor payable to the Rivers State House of Assembly as the first respondent and Martin Amaewhule as the second respondent.
The dismissal of the appeal by Fubara was hinged on the withdrawal of the suit by his counsel, Yusuf Ali, CHANNELS TV reports.
Prompt News reports that Governor Fubara, had earlier officially withdrawn his appeal against the Court of Appeal’s ruling, which nullified the 2024 state budget.
The announcement was made on Monday by Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Governor Fubara initially presented the 2024 budget to the faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Edison Ehie in December 2023. However, on October 10, 2024, the Appeal Court in Abuja upheld a previous Federal High Court ruling from January 22, 2024, which declared the budget’s passage illegal.
The legal dispute arose after pro-Wike lawmakers, led by Martins Amaewhule, challenged the budget in court, arguing that it was not properly passed through the legally recognized Assembly.
Tensions between Fubara and his former political ally, Wike, have escalated, with the rift reportedly centered on control over the state’s political structures.
In a social media post on Monday, Olayinka stated that Fubara’s decision to withdraw the appeal was an admission of wrongdoing.
He wrote: “Governor Fubara of Rivers State has withdrawn his appeal No. SC/CV/1071/2024 against the Appeal Court judgment declaring the 2024 Budget of the State illegal and ordering him to present the budget to the House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule.
The Appeal Court had upheld the ruling of Justice J. K. Omotosho in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/1613/2023, which directed the governor to re-present the budget to the Assembly under Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule.
By withdrawing the appeal, Governor Fubara has effectively accepted both the lower and appellate courts’ decisions, which deemed the initial budget presentation to three lawmakers as unlawful.”
As of the time of this report, Governor Fubara’s camp has yet to issue an official statement regarding the development.
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