Tensions between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly remain acute, with lawmakers on Thursday accusing the governor of unauthorised spending and other controversial actions.
At a press briefing, Speaker Martin Amaewhule said Governor Fubara has been spending public funds without the Assembly’s approval since September — including awarding contracts to allies, some of whom the Assembly claims were involved in past attacks on the Legislature’s building.
Amaewhule insists the Assembly must approve such expenditures, a process he says the governor has bypassed.
The speaker also rebutted Fubara’s recent claims that he had been unable to meet with lawmakers.
According to Amaewhule, the governor did meet Assembly leadership shortly after the end of the six-month state of emergency, during a meeting facilitated by the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Amaewhule stressed that Fubara’s public statements misrepresent those engagements and risk inflaming political tensions.
This latest clash follows a period of deep political crisis in Rivers State earlier in 2025, culminating in President Bola Tinubu declaring a state of emergency and suspending the governor, his deputy and the Assembly for six months due to governance paralysis.
The emergency rule was lifted on 17 September, and Fubara, his deputy and lawmakers resumed their roles.
While the governor has publicly denied a breakdown in relations and said he has sought dialogue, the Assembly’s response highlights persistent disagreements over constitutional authority and political cooperation in the state.
