……..Has begun work on 2025 Appropriation Bill
BY AMOS OKHIOMA, YENEGOA
The fate of the Martin Amaewhule led 25 pro Nyesom Wike lawmakers in Rivers state seems to have been sealed by the state governor, Siminaliayi Fubara following his insistence that the group have ceased to be recognized as Rivers state lawmakers following their resignation from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, despite the recent appeal court ruling
The governor, who declared the seven days ultimatum given to him by the 25 lawmakers to represent the 2024 Appropriation bill to the the House of Assembly as mere noisemaking, insisted that they ceased to be members of the House since December 13, last year, their seats have been declared vacant
This even as he declared that the issue of 2024 budget is now a thing of the past as his government is currently implementing it and is currently working on the 2025 bill
Recall that the Court of Appeal last week in a judgment said the Rivers State High Court, which suspended Amaewhule and 24 others from the House of Assembly, as lacking jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
The judgement how received different interpretation as some stakeholders has argued that it did not pronounce return of the lawmakers
Following the judgment, factional Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, and others resumed plenary on Monday and requested Fubara to re-submit his 2024 appropriation bill.
But Governor Fubara maintained that since the lawmakers had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), they had forfeited their seats.
Fubara who made the declaration when he received his PDP leaders, opinion leaders, and other stakeholders at Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, accordingly to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Nelson Chukwudi, dismissed the threat by the Amaewhule-led lawmakers as empty.
He he disclosed that his administration had started preparing the 2025 Appropriation Bill, with priority placed on education, healthcare and agriculture.
Fubara said: “Let me assure you that agriculture is an area that we have promised the very special and peace-loving people of Rivers State that our 2025 budget, which we have already started preparing, will address.
“Don’t bother about those people that are delusional. They think we are still sleeping. Let me tell you people so that they can hear anywhere they are.
“I wanted to help them, sincerely, because I know them. And I have said it before. These are people that I have helped. I paid their children’s school fees. I paid their house rents. So, I wanted to help them.
“We all knew what happened when they crossed (defected), and how did they cross? Because of our God, for them to make that mistake, they crossed. They are gone, and they are gone. Now, let me tell you: when I wanted to help them, I accepted to help them because we are all one. We disagree to agree as it is said.
“But, they thought they are smart. What is holding them is the declaration of their seats vacant that was done on December 13, 2023. That is what is holding them. We are not doing any budget to nullify that decision. It is what will send them to their villages.
“For me, as I am talking to you, I have started preparing my budget for 2025, which I am going to present very soon. And, in that budget, my key areas will be education, healthcare and agriculture.”
He told his guests that his administration was not at war with anybody, adding that he would continue to show appreciation to those who had contributed to his personal development.
The governor, however, emphasized that being loyal did not mean losing one’s liberty, sense of discretion, and what was right, stressing that he would not be a governor forced on his knees to steer the affairs of the state.
Fubara said: “I want to assure you on one thing: we are not fighting anybody. We appreciate what God has used people to also do in our lives. But, we are not going to rule this state on our bent knees. We will rule standing this way I am standing.
“If it is only being on our knees to rule that is the way that they will see us as being loyal, then, I will pack my few things that I have here, and go and relax in my house comfortably because it will be a disaster, not just to me, but to everyone in the state and even my own generation.
“So, I will continue to stand tall and stand on the side of truth. So, let me thank the President General (of Ogbakor Etche) for bringing your people, the great people of Etche and Omuma together to come and pay us a solidarity visit.
“We want to assure you that we recognise all ethnic groups, and we are not here because of any particular group. We are here and standing for Rivers State. Our greatest support has come, not from my own people (Opobo), but from all of you.
“We are asking for only one thing from you: Support us because our interest is very clear and straight. We mean well for our people. We want everyone to be free. We want to lead with the fear of God. We want you to express yourselves without fear.
“So, I want to assure you that we are on the right track. With your support, we are going to get there. Don’t allow anybody deceive you. They can go to the media and dance; when they go behind, they cry. It is the truth. We don’t know how to dance but we say it the way it is, and stand tall anywhere we go.”