Fubara Downplays Supreme Court Ruling, Says Budget Appeal Was Irrelevant

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has dismissed concerns over the recent Supreme Court judgment, asserting that the withdrawal of his 2024 budget appeal was a strategic decision, given that the fiscal year had already ended.

Naija News reports that Fubara made this known in a statement released on Monday by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Communication, Warisenibo Joe Johnson, in which he described the opposition’s reaction to the court ruling as misguided political propaganda.

The governor justified his legal team’s decision to withdraw the appeal, emphasizing that the 2024 budget cycle ended on December 31, 2024, rendering further litigation unnecessary.

“The appeal is of no useful purpose. The only reasonable thing left to do was to withdraw the appeal and have it dismissed,” Fubara stated.

He further criticized opposition elements who were celebrating the withdrawal, describing their actions as a desperate attempt to mislead the public.

“The Supreme Court is a very busy court. It would be unwise to burden the Honourable Court with academic appeals that hold no practical or utilitarian value. That is the appeal the urchins are celebrating,” he added.

The statement also clarified that the Supreme Court did not rule against Fubara but merely accepted the voluntary withdrawal of the appeal.

“There is no Supreme Court judgment against Governor Fubara. Ignore the outdated political propaganda by some desperate politicians,” Johnson said.

He reiterated that the Supreme Court’s decision was not a victory for any opposition group but simply a procedural conclusion to an already irrelevant case, since the 2024 budget had been fully implemented.

Fubara’s response comes amid ongoing political tensions in Rivers State, particularly between his administration and lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

The 2024 budget had been a contentious issue, following the fractured relationship between Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly.