Dismissed Appeal By Supreme Court, Not Setback To Fubara, Rivers Govt Clarifies

LAGOS – The Rivers State Government has said that the dismissed Appeal by the Supreme Court over the 2024 budget is not a setback to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, stressing that the judgement is purely academic.

A press release on Monday by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Warisenibo Joe Johnson, noted that the 2024 budget was spent on December 31, 2024 fiscal year, hence the appeal is of no useful purpose.

He said, “The only reasonable thing left to do is to withdraw the appeal and have it dismissed”, the Commissioner explained.

The statement added; “The Supreme Court is a very busy court. It will be most unwise to belabour the Honourable Court with academic appeals without any practical or utilitarian value.”

Johnson had mocked those celebrating the withdrawal of the appeal, describing them as urchins.

He added, “There’s no Supreme Court judgment against Gov. Fubara. Ignore the outdated political propaganda by some desperate politicians.

“Supreme Court ruled on the appeal over the 2024 budget voluntarily withdrawn by Gov. Fubara because the 2024 budget cycle has ended and there is no need to waste time discussing a budget that has been fully spent and implemented.”

He added that Victor Oko Jumbo is still the authentic speaker of the state house of assembly, stressing that nothing can change that reality.

Recall that a five-man panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, had on Monday, dismissed an appeal filed by Governor Fubara.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Abba-Aji imposed a cost of ₦2 million against Governor Fubara, payable to the Rivers Assembly as the first respondent and Speaker Martin Amaewhule as the second respondent.

The court’s decision to dismiss the appeal followed the withdrawal of the suit by Fubara’s legal counsel, Yusuf Ali.