The political tension in Rivers State escalated further on Wednesday as 27 lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, barred Governor Siminalayi Fubara from accessing the State House of Assembly, preventing him from presenting the 2025 Appropriation Bill.
Naija News reports that the Governor Fubara arrived at the Assembly complex early in the morning, intending to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling by re-presenting the 2025 budget before a properly constituted House of Assembly.
However, upon arrival, he met a locked gate, effectively shutting him out of the premises.
The development follows the recent Supreme Court judgment, which ruled that only the full Assembly, as constituted, has the authority to consider the state budget—a verdict that appeared to invalidate Fubara’s initial budget presentation to a faction of lawmakers loyal to him.
Assembly Staff Deny Knowledge Of Governor’s Visit
Despite Fubara’s claim that he had made several attempts to reach Speaker Martins Amaewhule and other lawmakers, Assembly staff denied any formal communication regarding his visit.
One staff member, speaking anonymously with Vanguard, said, “I am not aware that the Governor was scheduled to be at the Assembly today (Wednesday). If such information existed, the Rt. Hon. Speaker would have informed us. As of now, we have no knowledge of his visit.”
The Speaker of the Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, and the 27 lawmakers aligned with Wike have remained silent on their decision to deny the governor access.
The ongoing power struggle between Governor Fubara and the pro-Wike lawmakers has thrown governance in Rivers State into further uncertainty.
