During Monday’s plenary in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State House of Assembly issued its directive with a motion moved by Deputy Speaker Dumle Maol.

In his remarks, Speaker Martin Amaewhule criticized Governor Sim Fubara’s directive for heads of Local Government Administration to take charge of councils, calling it illegal and in violation of the Supreme Court’s ruling.

The Assembly also resolved to go on recess by Friday, citing two years of continuous work without a break.

Interestingly, the 2024 budget was not discussed during the plenary.

Governor Fubara had previously signed a ₦1.1 trillion 2025 budget into law on January 2 after presenting it to the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led lawmakers. However, the Supreme Court last week ordered Amaewhule and his faction to resume as the legitimate members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, ending months of leadership disputes between two rival groups.

In their first sitting since the landmark judgment, the Assembly directed Fubara to re-present the “Budget of Inclusive Growth and Development,” introducing a new twist to the unfolding political events in the state.

The Supreme Court ruling also instructed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to withhold Rivers State allocations until it complies with court orders. Additionally, the court nullified last year’s local government elections in Rivers State.

In response to the verdict, Governor Fubara called for fresh council polls and pledged to abide by the apex court’s decision.

“Furthermore, given the outlawing of caretaker arrangements in the local government system, I hereby direct the Heads of Local Government Administration to immediately take over the administration of the 23 local government councils pending the conduct of fresh elections by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission,” the governor said in a state broadcast on Sunday.

He asked the “outgoing local government chairmen to formally hand over the levers of power to the Heads of Local Government Administration by Monday, 3rd March 2025”.