The Rivers State House of Assembly has rejected claims by Governor Siminalayi Fubara that he was blocked from presenting the state’s 2025 Appropriation Bill, accusing him of playing to the gallery and whipping up unnecessary sentiments.
In a statement on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the House and Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Dr. Enemi George, dismissed the governor’s claims as a scripted attempt to tarnish the Assembly’s reputation.
“The claims of the governor were a mere comedy skit scripted to paint the House in a bad light,” George said.
He recalled that following the Supreme Court’s judgment on the political crisis in the state, the House had written to the governor on March 3, urging him to present the budget for approval.
“We were the ones who immediately after that judgment appealed to the governor to bring his appropriation bill,” George stated. “We acted immediately because we had the interest of the state at heart and didn’t want Rivers people to suffer any harm.”
Despite this appeal, George alleged that the governor deliberately ignored their request, even though the Assembly had faced serious challenges, including the demolition of its chambers and the withholding of members’ entitlements for over a year.
According to George, the House also urged the governor to submit names for key appointments, including commissioners and board members, to ensure smooth governance in the state. However, he claimed that the governor rebuffed these requests.
“We sent employees of the Assembly to deliver these resolutions to him, but as usual, they turned them down at the gate and even brutalized them. We resorted to engaging the services of a courier company,” he added.
George further accused the governor of orchestrating a deliberate delay in budgetary proceedings, warning that such actions could affect critical sectors such as healthcare and education.
“But with what he is doing, we don’t know what he wants to achieve. How can he turn around to claim that we blocked him from re-presenting his budget? This is the height of insincerity,” George stated.
The House spokesperson also questioned the authenticity of the governor’s letter, noting that the lawmakers only saw it circulating on social media after their Wednesday sitting.
“But even the letter trending on social media was dated March 11. Does it mean that the governor purportedly sent a letter on Tuesday—God knows when—and immediately mobilized to the Assembly quarters on Wednesday morning, claiming he came to present his budget?” he asked.
George emphasized that the correct procedure required the governor to wait for the lawmakers to acknowledge his letter before appearing for the presentation. He urged Fubara to follow due process for the sake of the people of Rivers State.
“All we know is that this Assembly will continue to uphold the rule of law and will remain committed to promoting the interests of Rivers State. We urge him to do the needful so that Rivers people can breathe. He is toying with the lives and livelihood of Rivers people,” George concluded.
