By Joel Oladele, Abuja

Amid the ongoing political crisis rocking Rivers State, the House of Assembly has accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of deliberately stalling the 2025 budget process, igniting fears over the state’s financial future.

With accusations flying and public morale at stake, lawmakers are urging citizens to pressure the governor into following due process rather than playing the victim in this escalating political feud.

The Martin Amaewhule-led House, which is loyal to the former governor and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, made the accusation yesterday, through its Chairman, House Committee on Information and spokesperson, Dr Enemi George, in Port Harcourt, the state capital yesterday.

The Lawmakers asserted that the governor’s inaction is frustrating the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling mandating him to re-present the 2025 Appropriation Bill for legislative approval.

George urged the public to pressure the governor to follow due process in presenting the 2025 Appropriation Bill, rather than attempting to gain public sympathy by portraying lawmakers as obstacles.

He challenged the governor to produce an acknowledged copy of the letter he claimed to have sent to the House.

He said, “Last week, we were told that on his way to Ogoni for a programme, the governor made a stopover 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.”

George added, “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 any 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 claims.

“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.”

George further said the governor frustrated all the House’s efforts to work with him to resolve the lingering crisis immediately after the Supreme Court judgment, particularly on the aspect of presenting the Appropriation Bill in the interest of the state.

George stated, “Recall 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 the 15th of March, 2025, 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 judgement of the Supreme Court.

“This we did in the interest of our dear state and in pursuit of peace, recognising that no government can function optimally without a harmonious co-existence between the executive and the legislature.”

According to George, House staff members who attempted to deliver the letter to the Government House were assaulted and turned away.

The lawmakers then resorted to using a courier service, but the governor still did not respond.

He added, “The governor did not heed to our call, nor did he demonstrate any intention to.

“Recall again that the judgment of the Supreme Court invalidated the appointment of most of the commissioners of the state. To bridge this gap and avoid a vacuum, this house immediately wrote to the Governor to submit the list of commissioners for immediate screening.

“Our letter was again rejected at the government house and we once again resorted to delivering the mail through a courier service. Rather than heed our call, the governor instructed them to go to court against us, which they have now done.

“The governor went further to instruct all ministries, agencies and departments of government not to receive any correspondence from the Rivers State House of Assembly nor communicate with us in any manner”.

George said the governor must be reminded that the House of Assembly is not an appendage of the executive and its members are not his slaves, bondservants and serfs.

“We are an independent arm of government in line with the principles of horizontal separation of powers as expressed in Section 4, Section 5, and Section 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.

He said the Assembly was the worst hit in the ongoing crisis, lamenting that the lawmakers had suffered untold hardship insisting that the governor must be stopped from extending such punishment to Rivers people.

George said, “This Assembly has borne the brunt of this crisis. We have endured immense hardship. We have been battered almost beyond our carrying capacity. We have been punished unduly and unfairly for trying to perform our constitutional duties.

“Our governor must not extend this punishment to Rivers people. No, please no. We must not allow it.

“We have seen hell: Our hallowed chamber was burnt down by the governor. The House of Assembly Complex was brought down by the Governor, totally demolished alongside our personal effect and belongings.

“Our Speaker’s residence was brutally attacked. Our residential quarters was brutally invaded by the governor.”

He warned that the governor’s actions could negatively impact the livelihoods of Rivers people.