Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has defended his decision to present the 2025 budget to three lawmakers, excluding 27 others whom he claims have forfeited their seats after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Fubara, locked in an ongoing conflict with Wike, stated that he had endured enough disrespect from Wike’s camp and would no longer tolerate it.
Speaking on Thursday at the State House in Port Harcourt after signing the N1.1 trillion budget, Fubara declared the three-member Assembly led by Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo as the only legitimate legislative body. He dismissed claims of a factional Assembly, stating, “We have only one Assembly, and it is headed by Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo.”
The governor attributed the exclusion of the 27 lawmakers loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike to their alleged political disloyalty and defecting actions. “We have given them enough room for peace, but it is too late,” he said, adding that his administration would prioritize the state’s interest over political disputes.
Fubara commended the legislature and executive council for their cooperation, pledging to focus on sectors like education, health, and agriculture in the new year. “We made promises to Rivers people, and we will deliver,” he said.
However, Rivers APC Chairman Chief Tony Okocha criticized the governor’s actions, labeling the budget presentation illegal and dismissing the legitimacy of the three-member Assembly. Okocha cited a 2024 court ruling mandating budget presentations to the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers and accused Fubara of disregarding judicial processes.
“The Assembly has 30 functional members, yet the governor chooses an illegitimate setting,” Okocha said, urging Fubara to adopt a more inclusive leadership style.
As the political tensions deepen, observers fear the feud between Fubara and Wike’s loyalists could hinder governance in the state.
