Rivers State Budget: “We Have Not Received Any Letter From Fubara” – Lawmakers

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Rivers State House of Assembly on Sunday, March 26, 2025, claimed that it has not received any letter from Governor Siminalayi.

The Source reports that the Governor on Friday, March 14, publicly declared that he has again dispatched a letter to the lawmakers, indicating his willingness to re-present the budget estimate on Wednesday, March 19. 2025 ,at 11.00 am.

The Governor had, also, in the letter dated March 13, and addressed to Speaker Martin Amaewfule, expressed readiness to come to the House at any other date, as may be deemed fit by the legislators.

Governor Fubara in the letter informed that his quest to re-present the budget estimate to the House is in compliance with the February 28, 2025, Supreme Court ruling on the Rivers state crisis.

He also urged the Lawmakers to put aside any perceived political differences and work in the overall interests of the people of Rivers.

Curiously, the lawmakers proceeded on an  indefinite recess same day the Governor was expecting them to deliberate on his proposed visit for the budget presentation.

Before the letter of March 13, the Governor had been humiliated by the legislators during his first attempt at  presenting  the appropriation bill on Wednesday March 12. He was not allowed to enter the Assembly Quarters.

This was even as the Governor claimed that he had earlier written to the House to intimate it of his intention to present the budget on the day.

However, in a statement issued on Sunday  by Dr Enemi Alabo, the Chairman House Committee on Information, the Lawmakers challenged Governor Fubara to provide proof of the acknowledged copy of the said letter to the House as regards his intention to represent the budget.

“Last week Wednesday, we were told that the Governor was on his way to Ogoni for a programme when, suddenly, he made a stop over at the gate of the House of Assembly Quarters to grant an interview to the press.

“In that interview he claimed that he had sent a letter to the House of Assembly indicating his intention to visit and present the appropriation bill, a claim we found rather astonishing as no such letter was received by the House of Assembly.

“His aides later alleged that they forwarded a letter through WhatsApp to some members of the House which was also awkward, unprofessional and embarrassing.

“As I speak, the social media space is awash with stories about a purported letter from the Governor to the House of Assembly expressing his intention to visit the House to present the appropriation bill for the year 2025.

“Nothing can be farther from the truth. We want to  state categorically that there is no such letter before the House of Assembly nor any of its staff.

“We challenge the Governor and his aides to produce an acknowledgement copy of such a letter or evidence that such a letter was sent or received by the House of Assembly.

“It is absolutely untrue and unfortunate. The general public must, as a matter of importance, ignore such claim.

“It is now very obvious that if at all there was such a letter, the intended recipient was not the Legislature, but the public, and the clear intention was to play to the gallery, whip up public sentiment, demonize the House of Assembly and set the public against us. This is demeaning.,denigrating and perilously unfortunate.

Recall that after the recent Supreme court judgment on the budget of our state, it became absolutely necessary for the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency ,Sir Siminalayi Joseph Fubara to present the appropriation bill to the legislature for consideration and passage.

Also recall that immediately after the judgment ,this House wrote to the Governor, calling on him to immediately present the budget for speedy consideration.

It was our hope that by 15th of March ,we would have concluded the process of passing the appropriation bill into law ,so as to give us enough time to approach the Federal Government to release funds meant for our state which have been seized by the judgment of the Supreme court.

This we deed in the interest of our dear state ,and in pursuit of peace ,recognizing that no Government can function optimally without a harmonious co-existence between the executive and the legislature.

This letter was rejected and the staff of the House of Assembly who attempted to deliver the mails were brutalized at the gate of Government House and sent back.

Undeterred ,by this ,the House resorted to the use of courier services to deliver the mail  .The Governor did not heed our call ,nor did he demonstrate any intentions to.” the Law makers stated.

According to the House Committee Chairman ,the Governor is the one frustrating the efforts of the House to work in harmony with the executive.

He insisted that the House has shown enough willingness to cooperate ,but that the Governor has continued to demonstrate insincerity of purpose.

The Assembly spokesperson however ,noted that as an  independent arm of the Government ,the Governor should accept the fact that they are not an appendage of the executive arm .

” We are an independent arm of Government in line the principles of horizontal separation of power as expressed in section 4 ,5 and 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended” the House noted