Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has stated that he is yet to receive any official communication from the state House of Assembly regarding its ultimatum to re-present the 2025 budget, in line with the Supreme Court judgment of February 28, 2025.
The Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly had given Fubara a 48-hour deadline to submit the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the legislature. The ultimatum was contained in a letter signed by Amaewhule and addressed to the governor, with copies sent to the deputy governor, the Rivers State Accountant-General, and the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
However, reacting to the development, Fubara stated that he had not received the letter and was awaiting the certified true copy of the Supreme Court judgment before taking any action.
In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House through the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, the governor maintained that neither he, his deputy, nor the accountant-general had received the correspondence.
The letter read: “As at the close of work on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, we are yet to receive the said letter. Neither the office of the Governor, nor the Deputy Governor’s office, nor the office of the Accountant-General of the State has received the said letter.
“Please, recall that His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State, had in a state broadcast on Sunday, March 2, 2025, stated clearly that notwithstanding his personal opinion on the Supreme Court judgments, he will, as a law-abiding Nigerian, obey and implement their decisions in accordance with the rule of law and in the best interest of the people of Rivers State.
“We have since been in contact with our lawyers, who are still awaiting the certified true copy of the judgments of the Supreme Court. We hereby reassure you and all the good people of Rivers State that as soon as His Excellency receives the judgments, he will strive to implement same timeously in the best interest of our people. Please, accept the esteemed regards of His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State.”**
Assembly Summons RSIEC Chairman, Demands Commissioner Screening
Meanwhile, the Rivers State House of Assembly has summoned RSIEC Chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd), to appear before it within 48 hours over issues related to the conduct of the October 5, 2024, local government elections.
Presiding over the plenary, Speaker Amaewhule warned that failure to comply with the summons could result in the issuance of an arrest warrant against the RSIEC chairman.
The Assembly also resolved to formally request Governor Fubara to submit the names of all his commissioners who had not been screened by the Amaewhule-led legislature for proper vetting. At the end of the session, the lawmakers further demanded that the governor dismiss all his appointed commissioners within 48 hours.
RSIEC Fixes August 9 for Local Government Elections
Despite the controversy surrounding the Assembly and the executive, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has scheduled fresh local government elections for August 9, 2025.
Chairman of the commission, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd), reaffirmed that RSIEC had the legal mandate to set election dates under the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law No. 12 of 2018.
“There shall be local government council elections on Saturday, August 9, 2025, in all 23 local government areas of Rivers State. RSIEC is mandated by law to fix the date for elections in the state,” Enebeli stated.
At a stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt, he dismissed claims that RSIEC lacked the authority to fix election dates, citing Section 13(1-4) of the RSIEC Law No. 12 of 2018.
“Contrary to the misconception of a few persons as expressed in the media, I make bold to say without equivocation that the fixing of the date of election into local government councils in Rivers State is the sole and undoubted statutory power of RSIEC,” he declared.
Asari Dokubo, IYC Warn Against Impeachment Plot
Prominent Niger Delta leader and traditional ruler, Asari Dokubo, has issued a strong warning to President Bola Tinubu, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and the 27 lawmakers in Rivers State against any move to impeach Governor Fubara.
Speaking during a live Facebook broadcast, Dokubo, who is the Da-Amakiri Tubo and Amanyanabo of the Elem Kalabari Kingdom, cautioned that any attempt to remove Fubara from office could destabilize the state and escalate political tensions.
Similarly, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Eastern Zone has expressed concerns over the growing political crisis in Rivers State. The group vowed to resist any efforts to undermine Fubara’s mandate.
In a statement signed by Chairman Datolu Sukubo, Secretary Tamunokuro Dango, and Information Officer Odia Igbikis, the IYC accused certain political figures of orchestrating chaos to remove the governor.
“We are aware of alarming plans by certain elements to destabilize Rivers State and undermine the mandate given to our elected officials.
“The purported 48-hour ultimatum issued to the Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, by the defected Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly to present the 2025 budget is a clear indication of an orchestrated effort to create chaos and potentially impeach the governor.
“We call upon the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the National Security Adviser to intervene immediately and halt the ongoing madness that threatens to plunge Rivers State into an avoidable crisis.
“Such instability could have severe repercussions, not only for our state’s governance but also for crude oil production and energy security, which are vital to the national economy,” the statement read.
