The political feud in Rivers State escalated sharply on Thursday as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, publicly branded Governor Siminalayi Fubara a “liar” and someone “looking for trouble,” accusing him of consistently misleading the public and circumventing due process.
Recall that Fubara, on Wednesday, dismissed speculations of a rift between him and federal or state lawmakers from the state, insisting that claims of strained relations are unfounded.
The said this at the commissioning of the extended and dualised 28.4-kilometre Ahoada–Omoku Road.
The governor said, contrary to insinuations that he was avoiding the lawmakers, arrangements had already been made for a meeting with them.
He explained that the plan was for his predecessor and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, along with elder statesman Ferdinand Alabraba and other leaders, to convene the session.
Speaking at a press conference in Port Harcourt, Amaewhule directly challenged Governor Fubara’s public comment that he was ready to cooperate with the lawmakers.
The Speaker alleged that Governor Fubara has repeatedly refused to submit the 2025 budget to the House for scrutiny and approval, despite legislative and constitutional requirements.
Amaewhule stated that the Governor is currently spending state funds without legislative appropriation, an act he described as unconstitutional.
He recalled a crucial meeting where the Assembly urged the Governor to submit the budget breakdown.
“The governor told us blatantly that he will not do it,” the Speaker claimed, stressing that the Assembly had maintained silence for months hoping the Governor would “do the right thing.”
Amaewhule also accused the Governor of awarding contracts to his friends and loyalists without proper legislative approval.
He alleged that some of the contract beneficiaries were individuals purportedly involved in the burning of the Assembly complex during the peak of the political crisis.
“They are even celebrating it on social media, mocking us,” he said.
“It’s the Governor (Fubara) who has failed to keep the terms of the agreement. He doesn’t want to, and this is not the first time we have agreed with him and then he failed,” Amaewhule added.
Furthermore, the Speaker faulted Governor Fubara’s claim that reconciliation meetings had not taken place, insisting that the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, convened multiple sessions.
Amaewhule listed meetings in Abuja and Port Harcourt, before demanding: “How many meetings have I mentioned? How many meetings does he want the FCT Minister to call?”
The Speaker explained that the Assembly initially chose to remain silent following President Bola Tinubu’s intervention, aiming to restore peace. However, he stated that the Governor’s “outburst” forced them to address the matter publicly.
Amaewhule also revealed that preliminary findings from the Assembly’s review of the recent emergency rule period indicated that the outgoing administrator left over ₦600 billion in government accounts. He affirmed that lawmakers would continue to probe state expenditures during that period.
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