From Victor Osula, Abuja
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has withdrawn an appeal before the supreme Court seeking to set aside a judgement which nullified the State 2024 budget.
Governor Fubara had approached the apex court to challenge an October 10, 2024 ruling of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which upheld the January 22 judgement of the Federal High Court, delivered by Justice James Omotosho, nullifying the 2024 Rivers State budget.
The Governor had presented the budget to the faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Edison Ehie in December 2023, following the alleged defection of 27-pro Wike lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The 27 lawmakers had on December 11, 2023, announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC. Subsequently, the Rivers Assembly led by former Speaker Edison Ehie on December 13, 2023 declared their seats vacant following their defection.
A Rivers State High Court presided over by Justice Charles N. Wali, had in a ruling delivered on May 10 and 30, 2024, granted an order restraining Amaewhule and the 24 other Pro-Wike lawmakers from sitting and parading themselves as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
While the Federal High Court and the appeal court in Abuja voided the 2024 budget presented to the Edison faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Governor Fubara had filed an appeal before the supreme Court to challenge the ruling.
However, in a notice to the Apex Court on Monday, the Governor said events had overtaken his appeal bordering on the 2024 budget.
Following no objections from the parties, a five-member panel of the apex Court led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, dismissed the appeal. Justice Abba-Aji also awarded a cost of two million naira against the governor payable to the Rivers State House of Assembly as the first respondent and Martin Amaewhule as the second respondent.
