Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has defended his administration’s decision to withdraw the appeal concerning the 2024 budget, asserting that the move was in the best interest of the state.
Despite a recent Supreme Court judgment that awarded costs against the state government, Fubara expressed confidence in the decision.
Speaking on the matter, the governor noted that the 2024 budget cycle officially concluded on December 31, 2024, rendering further legal proceedings unnecessary. He emphasized that his administration would rather channel its energy into addressing current governance priorities instead of lingering on past fiscal matters.
“The withdrawal was necessary to prevent unnecessary legal distractions and to focus on delivering meaningful governance to the people of Rivers State,” Fubara stated.
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 Ignore the outdated political propaganda by some desperate politicians,” Johnson added.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.
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