The faction of the Rivers State Assembly loyal to Governor Siminalaye Fubara has described the move to stop the governor from spending the state’s revenue as unfounded.
The speaker of the faction, Victor Oko-Jumbo, said at a sitting of the assembly in Port Harcourt on Tuesday that such a move was illegal and unpopular.
Recall that the Martins Amaewhule-led faction passed a resolution on Monday, stopping the governor from embarking on further expenses from the 2024 budget.
The Amaewhule-led faction, loyal to the former governor, Nyesom Wike, held that the seven-day ultimatum given to the governor to represent the 2024 budget had elapsed.
Mr Oko-Jumbo said that the 2024 budget of the state was validly presented and passed into law under the leadership of the then speaker, Edison Ehie.
He said that Mr Amaewhule and 24 others seized being members of the state assembly after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress
Mr Oko-Jumbo urged members of the public to disregard any action taken by the Amaewhule-led faction, saying that they are no longer lawmakers.
He said, “Their seats have long been declared vacant; that declaration is in line with the provisions of the constitution. We urge INEC to expedite action in the conduct of a by-election to fill the vacancies.’’