Victor Ezeja
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed an appeal filed by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, challenging a High Court judgment that voided the presentation and passage of the state’s 2024 budget.
The governor was hit with a N4 million cost on Monday by the five-member panel of the apex court which must be paid to the Rivers State House of Assembly and its factional speaker, Martin Amaewhule.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe Rivers governor had previously withdrawn the case from the apex court, citing it as being “overtaken by events.”
Amaewhule’s counsel, Bode Olanipekun (SAN), requested that the appeal be dismissed outright rather than objecting to the withdrawal.
He maintained that dismissal was the proper order because both parties had submitted and exchanged briefs of arguments.
The appeal was dismissed and Fubara was awarded the cost by the Supreme Court when no party objected.
READ ALSO: Fubara Moves To Appeal Judgment On Rivers 2024 Budget At Supreme Court
At first, the Supreme Court was considering five petitions pertaining to the dispute between Governor Fubara and the Rivers House of Assembly faction led by Amaewhule. The court is anticipated to decide on the four pending appeals or even combine them after this dismissal.
Back Story
The legal dispute started in December 2023 when Fubara presented the 2024 budget to five members of the Rivers State House of Assembly members led by Edison Ehie loyal to Governor Fubara, while the majority of parliamentarians who supported Amaewhule were not present.
The Federal High Court in Abuja’s Justice James Omotosho declared the budget’s presentation and approval unlawful in January 2024.
The judge ordered Fubara to resubmit the budget to the “legally constituted” House of Assembly under Amaewhule’s leadership.
In October 2024, the Abuja Court of Appeal upheld the ruling, confirming that the budget’s presentation and passage were in violation of constitutional norms.
