Gov Siminalayi Fubara

Gov Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has been given a 7-day ultimatum by the State House of Assembly, under the leadership of Martin Amaewhule, to resubmit the 2024 budget for review.

This directive came after the pro-Wike faction of the House convened for their first session in several months on Monday.

Previously, Governor Fubara had presented the budget to the Oko-Jumbo faction, which supports him, with his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, presiding as Speaker.

Ehie and the pro-Fubara lawmakers passed the budget estimates, and the governor subsequently signed it into law, highlighting its goals of fostering economic development, inclusive growth, and reducing socio-economic inequality in the state.

Meanwhile, a parallel session was also held by the faction led by Victor Oko-Jumbo.

The political upheaval in Rivers State assumed new dimensions on Monday, with two factions of the State House of Assembly holding parallel sittings.

The Victor Oko-Jumbo-led House loyal to the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and the Martin Amaewhule-led House loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, held sittings at different venues in the state.

While the pro-Fubara lawmakers held their sitting in an improvised Hallowed Chamber in the Government House, Port Harcourt, the pro-Wike legislators sat at the State Assembly official quarters along Aba Road, also in the metropolis.