Gov Fubara talks tough, says I’m not moved by Supreme Court judgment

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has justified his decision to withdraw the appeal concerning the 2024 budget, expressing confidence in the move despite the recent Supreme Court judgment.

Governor Fubara explained that the 2024 budget cycle officially concluded on December 31, 2024, making further legal proceedings unnecessary. He emphasized his administration’s commitment to focusing on current governance matters rather than dwelling on outdated fiscal issues.

The Supreme Court had recently ruled on the budget case, awarding costs against the state government. However, Fubara maintained that the withdrawal was in the state’s best interest to avoid prolonged legal distractions.

In a statement released by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Warisenibo Joe Johnson, on Monday, Fubara said, “The appeal is of no useful purpose. The only reasonable thing left to do was to withdraw the appeal and have it dismissed.”

He further noted, “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.

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 Ignore the outdated political propaganda by some desperate politicians,” Johnson added.

The statement clarified that the Supreme Court only ruled on the governor’s voluntary withdrawal of the appeal, which became irrelevant following the full implementation of the 2024 budget.

Meanwhile, sources from the camp of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, declined to comment on the matter, citing its seriousness.