THE Rivers State House of Assembly under the Speakership of Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, at its 1st Legislative Sitting of the Second Session of the Tenth Assembly, on Monday, deliberated on the actions and inactions of Governor Siminalayi Fubara which the averred are in breach of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) extant laws and judgments of competent courts of law.
The House called the attention of Governor Fubara to the fact that he is yet to present the 2024 Appropriation Bill of the state to the duly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly in line with the provisions of Section 121 of the 1999 Constitution and compliance with the judgment of Justice Omotosho of a Federal High Court.
The House then resolved to give the governor seven (7) days from the date of the resolution to present the Appropriation Bill to the House.
The House also drew the attention of the governor to his alleged breach of Section 192(2) of the Constitution wherein he swore in purported members of the State Executive Council as commissioners as well as a breach of Section 7 (1) of the Constitution and the Rivers State Local Government (Amendment) Law, 2023, wherein he again swore – in certain unelected individuals to manage the affairs of the 23 local government councils in the state, according to them, in flagrant disobedience to the Constitution and judgment of Justice Omotosho of a Federal High Court.
Commenting, the Speaker, Hon. Amaewhule decried a situation where the governor, in total disregard to the Constitution and judgments of courts, transacts legislative business with
three suspended members of the Assembly, who parade themselves as the House of Assembly of the state.
Rt.Hon. Amaewhule stated that the purported screening and confirmation of commissioner-nominees for appointment, caretaker committees and other approvals by the three impostors have been declared null and void by the recent Court of Appeal judgment, adding that the governor and his co-travellers are in contempt of the orders of the court.
He therefore called on Governor Fubara to do the needful without further delay as these constitutional breaches constitute gross misconduct and abuse of office.
Earlier, the Leader of the House, Hon. Major Jack had presented the judgment of the Court Appeal to the House.
Also, the Chairman of the House Committee on Education presented the Report on the Rivers State Education (Return of Schools) (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to the House.
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