In a key ruling, the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed Hon. Martin Amaewhule as the legitimate Speaker of the Rivers State Assembly. The three-member panel dismissed the appeal filed by Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, confirming Amaewhule’s leadership and his faction’s authority within the Assembly.
The ruling builds on a previous judgment from the Federal High Court in January, which nullified the 2024 Rivers State budget on the grounds that it was presented to an unrecognized Assembly faction. The court found Governor Fubara’s actions, including presenting the ₦800 billion budget to only four legislators, in violation of Section 91 of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates broader legislative representation.
A major point in the judgment was the withdrawal of a counter-affidavit by Governor Fubara, which weakened his legal stance and paved the way for the court to side with Amaewhule’s faction. Despite attempts at a peace deal brokered by President Bola Tinubu, the court noted that the Amaewhule-led group continued to challenge Fubara’s actions while retracting only an impeachment notice.
The appellate court upheld the earlier judgment, declaring the 2024 budget invalid, criticizing Governor Fubara for actions that violated court orders and legislative independence, such as the redeployment of Assembly staff and the withholding of funds.
It ruled that any decisions made by the Assembly without the participation of Amaewhule’s group were null and void. An injunction was also issued preventing the governor from further obstructing the Assembly’s operations.
The court ordered Governor Fubara to release withheld funds to the Assembly and imposed a ₦500,000 cost on him, payable to each respondent in the case.
