There is no truce yet between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the House of Assembly over the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment.

On Tuesday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu asked the governor to implement the Supreme Court judgment without delay.

But yesterday, the governor and the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly resumed hostilities over the presentation of the 2025 Appropriation Bill – a key element in the judgment.

Fubara made his way to the Assembly quarters yesterday morning but met a brick wall.

The quarters are where the lawmakers live and hold their plenary sessions since their complex was gutted by fire almost two years ago.

Addressing reporters at the gate, the governor alleged that he was denied access despite his earlier communication with Speaker Amaewhule about his intention to present the budget.

However, the lawmakers said nobody denied Fubara access. They described his allegation as spurious.

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike weighed in to support the lawmakers.

He said during a television interview that since the lawmakers live and work in the Assembly quarters, the governor ought to give them sufficient notice.

According to him, such a visit should have been preceded by a letter to the lawmakers.

I was denied access, says governor

Fubara, who lamented that he and his team were denied access to the Assembly, said: “We believe that the interest of the people should come first and in view of the decision of the Supreme Court, we felt that there is every need for us to comply immediately to save the state, the workers and LGA workers and the economy of the state.

“I made all frantic efforts to reach the Speaker, which I believe cannot deny that, and other members of the Assembly.

“I went further to send WhatsApp information to him and others notifying them that I would be coming by 10am to present the budget so that there wouldn’t be any reason why Rivers State should be in any fix because of me as being alleged.

“But it was unfortunate when we got there this morning, we were denied access and the next story I am hearing is that we didn’t communicate with them.

“But I leave to God who sees in secret places. I did everything to make sure that the situation is sorted out today.”

Fubara added: “But I still believe, they might be instructed later and if they are instructed, I am still ready to come any day to get this particular issue sorted out.

“I have to bring up this because I am aware that there are certain reports making rounds the media that there was no communication and that I was not complying and that we are not making any effort.

“So, I feel it is an opportunity here where everybody can hear from me and understand the situation that we are facing.”

The governor said nothing would last forever, adding that the powers he wields as governor, he would not abuse it.

Fubara stressed: “Like I said, nothing lasts forever. Even the greatest power, one day will end. What is most important is what we do with the power. I have chosen, even if I have the power, as they claim that I don’t know how to use power, I do not intend to abuse the power.

“Because power when you abuse it, is what leads to this kind of situation we are facing.

“I will not abuse it, but continue to work and operate with so much restraint, because I know that there is life after power.”

Fubara’s letter

The governor’s letter to the Assembly intimating the lawmakers about his visit to the Assembly was sighted by The Nation yesterday.

The letter dated March 11, 2025, and personally signed by Fubara, was addressed to Amaewhule.

It was titled: ‘Presentation of Rivers State 2015 Budget to the Rivers State House of Assembly.’

In the letter, the governor recalled his statewide broadcast of March 2, where he expressed his unreserved commitment to implementing the recent Supreme Court judgment on the political disputes “as soon as the enrolled judgment orders were served on us”.

The letter states: “It was in furtherance of this commitment that we initiated the consultative meeting with the Rivers State House of Assembly for the 10th of March 2025 to consider all the issues raised by the judgment and agree on the way forward in the best interest of our state.

“However, this crucial meeting was never held, which was unfortunate.

“Nevertheless, we have decided to move on to swiftly implement the terms of the judgment as promised having now been served with the certified true copy.

“Consequently, we wish to notify Mr. Speaker of our desire and intention to present the 2025 Rivers State Appropriation Bill to the Rivers State House of Assembly on Wednesday 12th March 2015 by 10 am.”

Fubara insincere, say lawmakers

However, the lawmakers rejected the governor’s claims about being blocked from entering the Assembly, saying that they never received any official communication about his visit.

Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Dr. Enemi Alabo George, described the claims as a mere comedy scripted to paint the Assembly in a bad light.

George recalled that on March 3, the Assembly wrote to the governor requesting him to present the budget, following the judgment of the Supreme Court.

He said: “We were the ones who immediately after that judgment appealed to the governor to bring his appropriation bill.

“We acted immediately because we have the interest of the state at heart and didn’t want Rivers people to suffer any harm.

“Despite withholding our entitlements for over a year and demolishing our chambers, we still wanted him to hasten up the presentation in the interest of the progress of Rivers.

“We indicated our intentions in that letter and even gave him a timeframe because of the urgency of the matter.

“To regularise his appointments, we also urged him during our subsequent sitting to submit the names of his nominees for the positions of commissioners and some board members for screening and confirmation. But the governor rebuffed our pleas.

“We sent employees of the Assembly to deliver these resolutions to him, but as usual they turned them down at the gate and even brutalised them. We resorted to engaging the services of a courier company.

“But he still did not heed our call forgetting that there are essential services like hospitals, schools and others to be funded.

“Our intention was to finish everything about the budget on March 15 so that we could send necessary information and documents to relevant agencies of the government to allow the release of Rivers allocations at the end of March. 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 representing his budget? This is the height of insincerity.

“We even need the budget to be passed because the governor has been owing us our entitlements for more than a year and without the budget we can’t get our entitlements.

“The governor and his team simply and deliberately acted Wednesday’s drama with a singular motive to tarnish the image of the Assembly.

“The governor is simply playing to the gallery to whip up unnecessary sentiments. But it has backfired because the truth has come out.”

George insisted the governor’s letter, which he claimed was sent to the Speaker, never got to him.

He said it was after Wednesday’s sitting that the lawmakers saw the letter on social media.

He stressed: “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 mobilised to the Assembly quarters on Wednesday morning claiming he came to present his budget?

“That alone vitiates the claimed purpose. It is procedurally trite that after writing to the Assembly, the governor ought to wait for the letter to be acknowledged by the lawmakers, who will then invite him to appear before them and make his presentation. Governor Fubara ought to know this if he is sincere.”

Wike: Fubara can be impeached

Wike insisted that ‘heaven would not fall’ if Fubara is impeached by the lawmakers.

He said: “If you have committed an offence to be impeached, what’s wrong? Is it a criminal offence? It’s provided in the constitution. Am I a member of the Assembly?

“If you have committed an infraction of the constitution and the Assembly deems it fit to say, you should be impeached.

“I have heard people say: ‘Oh, if they impeach him, there will be a breakdown of law and order.’ Rubbish! Nothing will happen.”

Wike described as “useless” Fubara’s letter to the Assembly seeking an audience with the lawmakers.

He said the governor was locked out of the assembly quarters for disregarding due process.

He advised Fubara to present the budget and submit the list of commissioners, saying that peace can only be achieved when the right actions are taken.

He criticised Fubara’s handling of governance, particularly in relation to the House of Assembly crisis.

He said: “You have had a frosty relationship with an arm of government. If you are a good politician, would you go and write a letter? Is it by writing a letter signed by the SSG? What an insult! Is it how it is done? If you are a politician, you know what to do.

“You want to play to the gallery, which is rubbish. All these letters are useless. You are not sincere, you are playing to the gallery.”

Wike said Amaewhule and other lawmakers are not Fubara’s boys, stressing that they should be accorded some respect.

He said instead of inviting the lawmakers through a public letter, Fubara should have called Amaewhule and his team via the phone and agreed on a date and time for a meeting.

Wike accused Fubara of being responsible for the destruction of the Assembly complex, which had made lawmakers conduct sittings in their private residences.

He added: “He (Fubara) brought the Assembly complex down. Assembly now sits in their residences. If you are coming, they have children; they have to prepare themselves.

“You cannot just go and then open the gate saying: ‘I’m coming to present the budget.’ Nonsense, rubbish. Who is doing that? Playing to the gallery.”

Nwike also dismissed plans to hold local government elections on August 27, saying that the process will not succeed.

He criticised the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd), for hurriedly going to the court instead of responding to a summons from the Assembly.

He said the situation mirrored a scenario where a federal institution, like the National Assembly, invites an official for questioning, only for that official to take legal action instead of appearing before lawmakers.

The minister said the RSIEC chairman is more interested in personal gains than conducting a fair election.

Wike reaffirmed his commitment to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), dismissing speculations that he may leave the opposition party.

He said he would not back down from challenges, emphasising that his loyalty to the PDP remains unwavering despite political tensions.

Wike said: “I don’t run away from a fight. I will not leave the PDP.”

The minister accused Fubara’s associates of taking advantage of the situation to mislead him for their selfish interests.

He criticised the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), labelling it the “worst organisation” because it attempted to obstruct President Bola Tinubu’s mediation efforts.

The minister also accused Fubara of disrespecting him by removing a chief in his family and replacing him with another.

He said: “Look at me, former governor, Minister of FCT. Governor Fubara has the temerity, the audacity, because he has money from the FAAC, because he has money from the IGR, to enter my family to remove a chief and appoint another person.”

‘Fubara, Wike should accommodate one another’

A Strategic Management and Human Capital Development expert, Prof. Okey Ikechukwu, urged Fubara and Wike to sheathe their swords.

Ikechukwu, who spoke on television, urged the duo to accommodate one another in resolving the crisis plaguing the oil-rich state.

“Both parties should not strive to win; both parties should find accommodation for each other. They should find out what deal others can live with provided it serves the interests of the state,” he said.

“They should also look at so many possibilities. If any of the two parties wins comprehensively, there will be too much fire under the sea they want to sit.

“If you bury all the interest of Wike completely, there are hostile, dependent forces that will not sleep and will not allow you to sleep.

“If you bury all the interest of Fubara in this matter, you will have no state to govern.” (The Nation)