The faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has adjourned its plenary indefinitely, a move that further complicates the ongoing political standoff in the state.
The decision was reached during a plenary session at the assembly quarters in Port Harcourt on Friday, coming just a day after Governor Siminalayi Fubara wrote to the assembly requesting a date for the presentation of the 2025 appropriation bill.
In a letter dated March 13 and personally signed by Fubara, the governor proposed Wednesday or any other convenient date within March for the budget presentation.
The letter was his second request to the assembly, following the Supreme Court’s February 28 ruling, which mandated him to present the budget to the lawmakers.
However, the latest adjournment by the Martin Amaewhule-led faction, which is aligned with Wike, has thrown fresh uncertainty into the budget process.
On Wednesday, Fubara and his commissioners were blocked from accessing the assembly quarters, preventing them from presenting the N1.1 trillion budget proposal.
The ongoing rift between Fubara and Wike has significantly polarized the Rivers political landscape.
The Amaewhule-led lawmakers remain loyal to Wike, while another faction, led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, backs Fubara. In December 2024, Fubara had presented the 2025 budget to the Oko-Jumbo-led assembly, but the move was contested by Wike’s loyalists.
The Supreme Court ruling in February added further pressure, affirming an earlier Federal High Court judgment that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant-General of the Federation from releasing Rivers State’s statutory allocations.
The apex court ruled that funds would be withheld until Fubara presents the budget to the Wike-backed assembly faction.
With the indefinite adjournment, concerns are mounting over the financial stability of Rivers State, as the impasse threatens to stall governance and development projects.
Observers say the latest move by the pro-Wike lawmakers signals a strategic attempt to maintain political control amid the lingering power struggle between the two political heavyweights.
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