The Rivers State Government has clarified the status of its Supreme Court case, emphasizing that the legal dispute over the 2024 budget and State House of Assembly leadership remains under review.
In a statement on February 10, 2025, Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, explained that the Supreme Court ruling stemmed from an earlier Court of Appeal decision requiring the Governor to re-present the 2024 budget to the Assembly under Martins Amaewhule’s leadership.
However, since the 2024 budget was fully implemented by December 31, 2024, Governor Fubara has withdrawn his appeal, considering the matter academic and irrelevant to 2025 governance.
According to Channels Television, Ehie clarified that the specific Supreme Court appeal, SC/CV/1071/2024, was solely related to the 2024 budget, which is now a closed issue. He stressed that pursuing the appeal further would serve no practical purpose, making its dismissal the logical course of action.
He also addressed political developments, particularly the defection of 27 House of Assembly members from the PDP to the APC in December 2023, which resulted in their seats being declared vacant. Ehie emphasized that the dismissed appeal had no connection to the status of these defected lawmakers, countering misleading claims.
The statement aimed to prevent misinformation, assuring the public that the government’s actions were in Rivers State’s best interest and that the legal case had no further impact on current budgetary or legislative matters.
This clarification follows widespread media reports on the Supreme Court ruling, ensuring that citizens understand the full context of the decision.
