• State Assembly passes two bills
The presentation and passage of the Rivers State 2024 Budget by four-member Ehie Edison-led House of Assembly was, yesterday, described as an aberration. It was, therefore, voided and set aside by a Federal High Court, Abuja, on ground of illegality and unconstitutionality.
In the amended originating summons filed on December 11, 2023, the plaintiffs sued the National Assembly, Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Senate Majority Leader and Senate Minority Leader as the 1st to the 5th defendants, respectively.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Deputy Speaker, House Majority Leader, House Minority Leader and Clerk to the National Assembly were also sued as the 6th to the 10th defendants, respectively.
They also sued the Governor of Rivers State, Attorney-General of Rivers, Commissioner of Finance, Accountant-General of Rivers, Rivers State Civil Service Commission, Inspector-General of Police and Edison Ehie, who was also listed as Rivers State House of Assembly’s Speaker in the suit, as the 11th to the 17th defendants, respectively.
The Rivers Assembly and Martin Amaewhule are 1st and 2nd plaintiffs in the suit marked : FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023. In a judgment delivered, yesterday, the court restored the leadership of Amaewhule, leader of the 25 legislators loyal to the former Governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, as the lawful and authentic Speaker of the House of Assembly.
Justice James Omotosho held that Governor Siminalayi Fubara acted like a tyrant in ways and manners the House of Assembly was demolished, and its funds from the Consolidated Account withheld.
Among others, Omotoso ordered the governor to represent the budget to the legally constituted House of Assembly under Speaker Amaewhule. The Judge held that the meeting of the four legislators, where the budget was purportedly passed, was null and of no effect whatsoever.
Justice Omotosho said that the presentation of the budget by the governor to the four lawmakers was contempt to his order issued against him from taking any action on the House of Assembly because of the pendency of the suit.
He quashed the withholding of the House of Assembly’s fund by Fubara on the ground that he has no constitutional power to do so, ordering him to immediately release the funds to the Amaewhule leadership.
MEANWHILE, Rivers State House of Assembly, yesterday, at its 93rd legislative sitting, passed a Bill for a Law to amend the Rivers State Traditional Rulers’ Law No. 4 of 2015 and repealed the Rivers State Advertisement and Use of State-owned Property (Prohibition) Law No. 7 of 2022.
The lawmakers passed the Bills after debating on the report of the House Committee on Chieftaincy and Community Affairs and House Committee on Land, Survey and Urban Development.
Commenting on the report, which was presented by the Chairman of the Committee, Ofiks Kabang, the Speaker, emphasised the importance of passing the Bill, which, according to him, will include a resolution of the House in the recognition, de-recognition or suspension of traditional rulers in the state.
