- Safiu Kehinde
As against the expiration of the 42-hours ultimatum given to Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to re-present the 2025 budget, the state government has claimed that it is yet to receive any letter from the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.
NPO reported that the reinstated Speaker of the Assembly had, in a letter addressed to Fubara, on Monday, requested that the governor re-present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the House within 48 hours.
Amaewhule gave the ultimatum following his reinstatement by the Supreme Court ruling which ordered the stoppage of the Federal allocation to Rivers until Fubara re-presents the budget before the legally recognized Assembly.
However, in a statement on Wednesday, the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, maintained that the governor has yet to receive the letter, stressing that the state government heard of the purported on social media.
“I hereby refer to a letter dated 3rd March 2025 on the above subject, which we came across on social media and notify you that, as at the close of work on Tuesday 4th March, 2025, we are yet to receive the said letter. Neither the office of the Governor, nor the Deputy Governor’s office, nor the office of the Accountant-General of the State has received the said letter” Danagogo wrote.
The SSG also claimed that the state government is yet to receive a copy of the Supreme Court judgement to enable it to respond appropriately.
“We have since been in contact with our lawyers who are still awaiting the certified true copy of the judgments of the Supreme Court and hereby reassure you and all the good people of Rivers State that as soon as His Excellency receives the judgments, he will strive to implement same timeously in the best interest of our people.” he said
Danagogo, however, assured the people of the state of the governor’s commitment to abiding by the rule of law, as he had noted earlier in his statewide broadcast.
“Please, recall that His Excellency, Siminalayi Fubara, had in a State Broadcast on Sunday 2nd March, 2025, stated clearly that notwithstanding his personal opinion on the Supreme Court Judgments, he will, as a law-abiding Nigerians, obey and implement their decisions in accordance with the rule of law and the best interest of the people of Rivers State.” he added