Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has signed into law the state’s N1.188 trillion budget for the 2025 fiscal year.
Fubara’s spokesperson, Nelson Chukwudi, shared videos of the signing ceremony on Facebook on Thursday.
Gov. Fubara assented to the budget within two working days after presenting it to the three-member Rivers Assembly loyal to him.
He presented the budget before the Victor Oko-Jumbo led faction of the assembly on Monday.
This is like a repeat of what happened last year, where Governor Fubara presented the N800 billion 2024 budget before a four-member assembly and assented to it within 24 hours.
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Majority of the state lawmakers, shut out of the assembly because of the protracted political battle between the governor and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, have challenged the validity of the Rivers 2024 budget in court. The Supreme Court is expected to give its ruling on the matter.
Fubara and Wike are at loggerheads over the control of the political structure in the state.
The Appeal Court had invalidated the 2024 budget, a verdict, which Fubara appealed to the Supreme Court.
It is not clear if the pro-Wike lawmakers will also challenge the 2025 budget.
