Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has decided to drop his appeal against the court ruling that declared the state’s 2024 budget illegal.
The announcement came from Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Monday.
Governor Fubara had initially submitted the budget to the House of Assembly led by Edison Ehie in December 2023.
However, on October 10, 2024, the Appeal Court in Abuja upheld a Federal High Court ruling from January 22, 2024, which nullified the budget’s passage.
The budget dispute started when lawmakers loyal to Wike, led by Martins Amaewhule, challenged the process in court, arguing that it was not properly passed.
This legal battle is part of the ongoing political conflict between Wike and his former ally, Fubara, over control of the state’s political structure.
In a social media statement on Monday, Olayinka stated that the governor’s decision to withdraw the appeal confirms the court’s position on the matter.
Fubara’s team has not yet responded to the development.
