TheCable

Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers state, is currently presenting the state’s N800 billion budget estimate for 2024 to the Edison Ehie-led faction of the house of assembly. 

The presentation of the budget titled: ‘Budget of Renewed Hope, Consolidation and Continuity’, is taking place at the government house.

On Tuesday, the Rivers state high court sitting in Port Harcourt confirmed Ehie, an ally of Fubara, as authentic speaker of the state house of assembly.

The court also restrained Martin Amaewhule and Dumle Maol from parading themselves as presiding officers of the house or interfering with the activities of Ehie.

The presentation of the budget comes amid the demolition of the assembly complex by the state government.

The state government said it commenced the demolition in a bid to renovate the failing structure.

“In the interim, the Rivers state government has provided an alternative venue for the house of assembly to conduct their affairs pending the rebuilding of the complex,” the government said in a statement.

The developments come on the heels of the defection of 27 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The speaker had declared 25 seats of members who sent “correspondence and notices” vacant on Wednesday.

There are 32 members in the Rivers house of assembly. TheCable understands that four members are on the side of the governor following the defection of 27 on Monday. One member of the house died recently.

There are reports that one of the members who defected has rejoined the PDP.

Fubara and Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), have been embroiled in a rift over control of the political structure in Rivers.

Wike had called Fubara an ingrate after President Bola Tinubu intervened in the political crisis engulfing the state.