PORT HARCOURT – The All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has rejected the 2025 budget presentation by Governor Siminalayi Fubara to the Victor Oko-Jombo Led Assembly, describing the move as tragic and unfortunate.
Chairman of the APC in the State, Chief Tony Okocha, said the presentation of the budget to just three members out of 30 in the State House of Assembly as Illegal, violating court rulings and showing disregard for the rule of law.
He criticized the Governor for ignoring the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers which according to him is majority and recognised by law, to present the 2025 budget to 3 members, despite the ruling by Justice Omotosho which mandated that last year’s (2024) budget be represented to the Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule.
Recall that Governor Fubara on Monday December 30, 2024 presented a budget proposal of N1.188 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year, to a 3-man Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, which was later passed into law on Thursday January 2, 2025.
Chief Okocha said, “I read about the budget presentation, you know there are three genres in literature, comedy in drama, tragedy and tragicomedy, of these three strands are still in vogue then what is happening in Rivers State is indeed in the shores of tragedy, it can’t be comedy or tragedy.
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“It is unfortunate, unthinkable and unimaginable that a Governor who wasn’t thrown down from heaven to become governor, a Governor that had risen through the help ranks, if for nothing else, he was a full blown civil servant in the ministry of finance, the Governor served as a director of finance and administration, DFA government house, the Governor had served as permanent secretary in charge of funds government house, the Governor had served as accountant general of the state.
“It means off course that the Governor is not a toddler in the business of budgets and how it’s presented, he has witnessed presentations of budgets, the presentation of the 2025 budget to three lawmakers is illegal, illegitimate, abnormal and an anathema, it can’t stand the test of legal judgment.
The state APC Chairman, described Governor Fubara as vindictive for refusing to pay the 27 Rivers House of Assembly members their 11 months allowances and salaries.
Okocha said the governor had also violated several court decisions directing him not to interfere with the legislative arm.
“That is to show you how vindictive the Governor can be. In different judgments, including the mediation by Mr president, there is a clause that says let the state assembly don their jobs unfettered, do not interfere with their business.
“In other words, in everything including their allowances and their salaries or whatever must be given to them.”
