BREAKING: Court Of Appeal Strikes Out Pro-Wike LG Chairmen Suit

The Port Harcourt division of the Court of Appeal, on Monday, struck out two appeals filed by Local Government Chairmen loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike, for lack of merit. The appeals marked CA/PH/137M/2024 and CA/PH/145M/2024, filed by Hon. Enyiada Cookey-Gam and six others, challenged the decisions of the lower court in the matters of the elongation of the council leadership tenure. The Court of Appeal found the appeals to be without merit and consequently struck them out. Martin Amaewhule-led lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, had amended the local government law and extended the tenure of the 23 local Chairmen that would expire by June by six months. When Governor Siminalayi Fubara declined assent to the Bill, the Lawmakers override the Governor and passed the Bill into Law.

BREAKING! Pro- Wike Lawmakers Give Fubara 7 Days To Re-Present 2024 Budget

The Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule has issued a 7-day ultimatum to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to re-present the 2024 budget to the House. The order follows the first sitting of the pro-Wike House on Monday after some months. The other House led by Victor Oko-Jumbo is also holding a parallel sitting. Fubara had earlier presented the budget to the House loyal to him when his current Chief of Staff Edison Ehie presided as the Speaker. Ehie and the other pro-Fubara lawmakers passed the budget estimates, and the governor signed the bill into law. He stated that it is aimed at promoting economic development, inclusive growth, and addressing socio-economic inequality in the state. Details later…

Gov Fubara swears in Rivers state caretaker committee chairmen

Rivers governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has sworn in new caretaker chairmen for the 23 local government areas of the state. The swearing-in was done on Wednesday at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital. The ceremony comes a day after the governor forwarded the list to the state House of Assembly led by factional Speaker, Victor Jumbo. See the names of the caretaker chairmen nominated by Fubara below: 1. Abua/Odua LGA – Madigai Dickson 2. Ahoada East LGA – Hon. Happy Benneth 3. Ahoada West LGA – Mr. Daddy John Green 4. Akuku Toru LGA – Otonye Briggs 5. Andoni LGA – Reginald Ekaan 6. Asari Toru LGA – Orolosoma Amachree 7. Bonny LGA – Alabota Anengi Barasua 8. Degema LGA – Anthony Soberekon 9. Eleme LGA – Brain Gokpa 10. Emouha LGA – David Omereji 11. Etche LGA – John Otamiri 12. Gokana LGA – Kenneth Kpeden 13. Ikwerre LGA – Darlington Orji 14. Khana LGA – Marvin Yobana 15. Obia/Akpor LGA – Chijioke Ihunwo 16. Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA – Princewill Ejekwe 17. Ogu/Bolo LGA – Evans Bipi 18. Okrika LGA – Princess Ogan 19. Omuma LGA – Promise Reginald 20. Opobo/Nkoro LGA – Enyiada Cookey-Gam 21. Oyigbo LGA – – Gogo Philip 22. Port Harcourt LGA – Ichemati Ezebunwo 23. Tai LGA – Hon Matthew Dike

ALGON support call for Fubara’s impeachment

The crises in Rivers state is beginning to take a new dimension after the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, called for the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara yesterday. In support of the call, the Rivers State chapter of the Association of Local Government Areas of Nigeria, ALGON, has accused Governor Fubara of withholding funds allocated for the 23 LGAs in the state. According to the state chapter of ALGON, the Governor’s action has hindered their ability to carry out their duties, saying it amounts to abolishing local government councils in the state. The LG Chairmen also indicated that they are in support of the call for impeachment of the Governor by the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Tony Okocha, who had asked the Martins Amaewhule-led State House of Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against the Governor. Addressing journalists on Wednesday, Allwell Ihunda, the State ALGON Chairman and Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area said, “It has come to the notice of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, that the Rivers State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has neglected, failed, and deliberately refused to hold the statutory Joint Account Allocation Committee Meeting which is the prerequisite for the release and disbursement of funds due to the local government in the State Joint Local Government Accounts. “And has continued to withhold the statutory allocations due to the 23 local government councils of Rivers State since April 2024. “And in the case of Emuoha LGA since March 2024 till date for no just course, thereby starving the third tier of the government of the funds required to discharge its statutory functions in the administration of the local government areas.”

Supreme Court affirms Fubara as Rivers Gov

The Supreme Court, Thursday, upheld the election of Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the authentic governor of Rivers State. The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Tonye Cole, filed to challenge the outcome of the governorship election that held in the state on March 18, 2023. The Apex court five-member panel led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit. The court said it found no reason to disagree with the concurrent decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which upheld Fubara’s victory at the poll. It further established that the appellant failed convince the court that the election was not conducted in compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022. The APC pulled out from the case against governor Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, while it was being heard by the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal. Despite the position of the party not to challenge the declaration of Fubara as winner of the gubernatorial contest by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mr. Cole, vowed to prosecute his petition to its logical conclusion. INEC had declared that Fubara of the PDP polled a total of 302,614 votes to defeat his closets rival, Cole of the APC who got a total of 95,274 votes. Dissatisfied with the outcome of the poll, Cole approached the tribunal to challenge it. The appellant, among other things, alleged that the Rivers State governorship poll was marred by corrupt practices, insisting that it was not conducted in substantial compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.