The House of Assembly under the leadership of Martin Amaewhule has suspended all spending in Rivers State until Governor Siminalayi Fubara submits his budget to the House.

This decision follows the passing of a seven-day deadline set by the faction for Governor Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2024 budget to the House.

Major Jack brought forward a motion notifying the House about the expiration of the ultimatum given to the governor to submit the 2024 budget.

Therefore, under the leadership of Martin Amaewhule, the assembly has decided that Governor Fubara cannot authorize or approve expenditures from the state’s consolidated revenue fund. Ministries are also barred from using public funds until the presentation of the 2024 budget.

In December 2023, Governor Fubara signed the N800 billion budget into law after presenting it to lawmakers led by the former factional speaker, Edison Ehie.

Governor Fubara, last week announced that his administration has begun preparing the 2025 budget.

Additionally, the governor reiterated that the seats of Amaewhule and other state lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, remain vacant.

Fubara noted that the defectors would eventually return because they chose to leave voluntarily.

The governor made these remarks during a solidarity visit from opinion leaders, women, and youths of Etche and Omuma Local Government Areas, led by Ogbakor Etche, at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Wednesday, July 10.