Embattled Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State is now presenting his 2024 budget proposal to Rivers State House of Assembly in a makeshift location in Port Harcourt.
The main legislative house is being demolished by a combination of heavy bulldozers and earth movers on the orders of the governor.
Government says the complex is “unsafe” and “disastrous” for human occupation as the structure is weak from a combination of dynamites which struck it in early October, but analysts think this is a rather ruthless dimension to the power play between the governor and his political benefactor, ex-governor Nyesome Wike.
Wike, the current federal capital minister under President Bola Tinubu is still a member of the PDP – the governor’s party, but Wike’s 27 legislator loyalists out of 34 members on Monday defected to the opposition party APC, ostensibly leaving the ruling party PDP in minority.
Fubara arrived at the makeshift assembly complex located deep inside the Bricks House – the government house of Rivers State at about 9.30pm.
The Speaker of the House Speaker Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie and only four other members are seated. The seats of the 27-members who defected Monday have been declared vacant, according to Speaker Ehie, by reason of their defection on Monday. But the 27 members still contend they are full members.
Inside the makeshift house used as the Assembly, accompanying the governor are other state officials including Secretary to the State Government, Tammy Danagogo, Finance Commissioner Isaac Kamalu, Information and Communications Commissioner Joseph Johnson, and other cabinet members.
Paradoxically, Fubara christened his 2024 budget “Budget of Renewed Hope, Consolidation, and Continuity” – a slogan in deference to President Bola Tinubu of the opposition party who runs on a federal government of “Renewed Hope” agenda.
Fubara – perhaps is eager to demonstrate he is on the side of the powerful president, as is his antagonist Minister Wike.
The budget has an expenditure profile of N800 billion – the highest in the state’s fiscal history.
Details of the budget appropriation bill will be updated here soon.
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