A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday nullified the passage of Rivers State’s N800 billion 2024 budget by five members of the House of Assembly.
The court described the bill’s passage by the five lawmakers, led by Ehie Edison, as an aberration and illegality.
It consequently ordered Governor Siminalayi Fubara to represent the budget to the Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly.
However, the verdict drew mixed reactions from stakeholders in the state.
While some civil society organisations (CSOs) called on Fubara not to re-present the budget, the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC) said it should be represented in the interest of the people and the state.
The judgment delivered by Justice James Omotosho was on a suit filed by the 27 members of the Assembly loyal to former governor of the state and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike.
Listed as defendants of the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023 are the National Assembly, the Senate, the House of Representatives and the Clerk to the National Assembly.
Others include Fubara, Edison, the Rivers State Civil Service Commission and the Inspector-General of Police(IGP).
