Port Harcourt, March 12, 2025 – A political crisis is deepening in Rivers State as 27 lawmakers prevented Governor Siminalayi Fubara from entering the State House of Assembly to present the 2025 budget. The lawmakers, who are loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, cited improper communication as the reason for blocking the Governor’s access.
Governor Fubara had arrived at the Assembly complex on Wednesday morning to present the budget, fulfilling a key requirement following a recent Supreme Court judgment. However, Assembly staff claimed they were not officially notified about his visit.
One staff member, speaking anonymously, said: “I am not aware that the Governor was scheduled to be at the Assembly today. If such information existed, the Speaker would have informed us.”
Governor Fubara’s Official Communication
Despite claims of improper communication, Governor Fubara had written a formal letter to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, notifying him of the planned budget presentation.
In the letter dated March 11, 2025, Fubara referenced his earlier public commitment to implementing the Supreme Court judgment on Rivers State’s political disputes. He also noted that a planned consultative meeting with the Assembly on March 10 had not taken place.
“Nevertheless, we have decided to move on to swiftly implement the terms of the judgment as promised, having now been served with the certified true copy,” the letter stated.
The Governor informed the Speaker of his intention to present the 2025 Rivers State Appropriation Bill to the House on March 12 at 10:00 a.m. and requested the House’s cooperation.
Political Tensions Escalate
The blockade is the latest development in an ongoing power struggle between Governor Fubara and the lawmakers allied with Wike. The rift has caused uncertainty in the state’s political landscape, with many wondering how governance will proceed amid the standoff.
With the 2025 budget presentation halted, questions remain about the next steps for the state government and whether a resolution can be reached to end the legislative impasse.
