Fubara Draws the Line Amid Tensions with Wike’s Loyalists

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has declared his resolve to move forward despite escalating tensions with allies of his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.  This stance follows months of friction, culminating in Fubara’s announcement that he will no longer tolerate actions he perceives as undermining his administration.   During the signing of the ₦1.1 trillion 2025 budget in Port Harcourt, Fubara addressed controversies surrounding the state’s legislative body.  He emphasized that the Assembly led by Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo remains the only recognized legislature, dismissing the legitimacy of 27 lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).  READ ALSO: MY PREDICTIONS FOR 2025 According to Fubara, their defection disqualifies them from reclaiming their seats.   Fubara acknowledged past efforts to reconcile differences but maintained that his focus remains on advancing Rivers State’s development.  He highlighted achievements in infrastructure and set ambitious goals for education, health, and agriculture in 2025.   READ ALSO: PDP Expels Ex-South East Vice Chairman over Alleged Misconduct The governor also commended the three-member Assembly for facilitating the budget process and praised his cabinet for their collaborative efforts.  He urged state officials to build on their 2024 accomplishments, promising to uphold the interests of Rivers State and deliver on key commitments to its citizens.

Court stops CBN from releasing allocation to Rivers

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday stopped the Central Bank of Nigeria from further releasing monthly financial allocations to Rivers State Government. The presiding judge held that the presentation of the 2024 budget by Governor Siminalayi Fubara before a four -member Rivers House of Assembly was an affront to the constitutional provision. She described the receipt and disbursement of monthly allocations since January this year by Fubara as a constitutional somersault and aberration that must not be allowed to continue. Justice Abdulmalik also held that Fubara’s action in implementing an unlawful budget smacked gross violations of the 1999 Constitution he swore to protect. She proceeded to restrain the CBN, Accountant General of the Federation, Zenith Bank, and Access Bank from further allowing Fubara to access money from the Consolidated Revenue and Federation Account.

Rivers Guber: Court Upholds Gov Fubara’s Victory

The Appeal Court in Lagos State has reaffirmed Governor Siminalayi Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the validly elected governor of Rivers State.  This decision came as the court dismissed a petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Patrick Tonye-Cole, against Governor Fubara and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The court upheld the Tribunal’s previous ruling from October that validated Fubara’s electoral win, citing the withdrawal of the petition by the APC, the party backing Cole.  Despite Cole personally presenting the case in court, his petition sought to challenge the election’s outcome, alleging irregularities and misconduct in the electoral process.  However, the court’s decision supported Fubara’s victory based on the circumstances presented, further solidifying his position as the governor of Rivers State.