Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, says there is no crisis in the state house of assembly.
Fubara spoke on Thursday while signing the N1.18 trillion 2020 Appropriation Bill into law at the government house in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
Fubara presented the money bill, tagged the “Budget of Inclusive Growth and Development,” to the four-member assembly on Monday.
The governor claimed that there is no division in the state legislature, adding that Victor Oko-Jumbo is the authentic speaker of the assembly.
“I want to say this, maybe, for some persons somewhere who are still mixing up issues. We have only one Rivers state house of assembly, and that assembly is headed by Rt hon Victor Oko-Jumbo,” he said.
Fubara said his administration will do everything possible to defend the interest of Rivers state and the integrity of governance.
“We will make sure that we kick-start so that the record of performance that was accorded by this administration in the year 2024 will be higher in this year, 2025,” he said.
“Let me first thank the Rivers state house of assembly for doing a very diligent job and also realising the task that we have ahead of us, which is to continue to work for Rivers people.
“So, I want to thank you for working very hard and ensuring that we hit the ground running in this New Year.”
In October 2023, Ehie Edison, an associate of Fubara, was elected speaker of the factional assembly after his removal as the house leader by lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule.
On December 11, 27 lawmakers of the assembly led by Amaewhule defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The 27 lawmakers are loyal to Nyesom Wike, the immediate past governor of Rivers and the current minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).
On December 12, 2024, Edison declared the lawmakers’ seats vacant.
However, Edison resigned as a lawmaker and was appointed chief of staff to Fubara.
Subsequently, Oko-Jumbo was elected as the speaker of the assembly.
However, the affected lawmakers approached the court seeking to stop their replacement.
In September 2024, a high court in Abuja dismissed a suit seeking the sack of the lawmakers.
