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A Port Harcourt High Court has allowed Rivers State Governor Fubara to conduct official business with three lawmakers who did not vacate their seats. The ruling dismisses a lawsuit seeking to compel Fubara to resubmit the 2024 budget to a faction led by Martins Amaewhule.

A Port Harcourt High Court has ruled that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, can continue conducting official business with three lawmakers who have not vacated their seats. The court dismissed a lawsuit that sought to compel Fubara to resubmit the 2024 budget to a faction led by Martins Amaewhule.

The lawsuit, filed by the Registered Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, argued that the budget had not been properly presented for approval. The claimants insisted that re-presenting the budget to the faction led by Amaewhule was necessary for the smooth functioning of the state government.

Fubara’s legal counsel, citing a precedent where former Governor Nyesom Wike worked with a six-member assembly from 2015 to 2017, successfully convinced the court that the governor could proceed with the current assembly members who had not vacated their seats due to defection.

The court ruled that Fubara could continue official engagements with the validly constituted House of Assembly, including presenting the budget, making board appointments, and confirming judicial appointments. The claim for a judicial review of the budget’s submission to the defector-led faction was dismissed, and the plaintiff was ordered to pay N500,000 in costs.

This ruling comes amid a long-standing feud between Fubara’s faction and the pro-Wike lawmakers, affecting the state’s legislative processes and budget approval.