Tensions Escalate Between Governor Fubara and Rivers State House of Assembly Over Budget Presentation

The ongoing face-off between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the state House of Assembly has taken a dramatic turn, with fresh accusations and counterclaims intensifying the political crisis. Following a Supreme Court ruling that reinstated 27 lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, verbal clashes between the governor and the Assembly, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, have become a regular occurrence.

In a recent exclusive interview, Hon Enemi George, Chairman of the Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Information and the Assembly’s spokesperson, dismissed several claims made by Governor Fubara as “untrue.” The crux of the dispute centers on the governor’s alleged efforts to re-present the 2025 budget in line with the Supreme Court’s directive. Fubara has accused the Assembly of obstructing this process, claiming he wrote to them and even attempted to access the Assembly quarters to present the budget, only to be locked out. However, George vehemently denied these assertions, stating that no such letter was ever received by the Assembly.

“We have been begging the governor to bring the budget,” George said, emphasizing that the Assembly had proactively written to Fubara immediately after the Supreme Court judgment, urging him to present the budget within 48 hours. He argued that the governor’s claims of sending a letter were baseless, challenging him to produce evidence. “He is using public sentiment,” George added, suggesting that Fubara’s actions were a deliberate attempt to paint the lawmakers in a bad light rather than a genuine effort to comply with the court’s ruling.

The lawmaker clarified that the Assembly’s current location—a banquet hall within the lawmakers’ residential quarters—was a necessity after Fubara demolished the original Assembly complex following an earlier arson incident. George explained that the quarters are a private residence, not a public space, and access requires prior notification. “The governor just drove to the gate, held a press conference, and left within five minutes,” he said, debunking reports that the lawmakers had locked Fubara out. He stressed that even at the original complex, a formal process involving a motion and majority vote would be required to allow the governor entry—a procedure Fubara allegedly ignored.

George accused the governor of prioritizing personal ego over the welfare of Rivers people, noting that the delay in passing the budget has stalled salaries and pensions, including that of his own mother. “If the budget isn’t ready, what did he present to those three guys?” he questioned, referring to Fubara’s earlier budget presentation to a rival faction of three lawmakers loyal to him—an action later invalidated by the Supreme Court.

The spokesperson also addressed other contentious issues, including the Assembly’s demand for a new list of commissioners after the court nullified Fubara’s appointees, and their invitation to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission chairman to discuss election plans—both of which he claimed were ignored or rejected by the governor’s administration. On rumors of an impeachment plot, George dismissed them as unfounded, insisting no such discussions had taken place in the House.

As the standoff continues, the Assembly maintains that Fubara’s refusal to cooperate is holding the state back. With allowances for lawmakers and staff withheld for over a year and a half, and critical governance processes stalled, the political crisis shows no signs of abating, leaving Rivers State at a standstill amid a bitter power struggle.