Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Daboikiabo Warmate, has accused the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, of attempting to become governor “through the back door,” describing such a move as unconstitutional.
Warmate, who spoke on Daily Break on Trust TV on Friday, said Amaewhule stood to benefit personally from the current controversy surrounding the state’s budget.
“Speaker Martins Amaewhule wants to become governor through the back door, but he will never be.
It’s because he is going to be the primary beneficiary of this issue,” he said.
The PDP chieftain referenced Section 122 of the Constitution, which allows a governor to spend from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for up to six months after the expiration of a budget if the next budget has not been passed – a provision commonly referred to as “default appropriation”.
Warmate described the action of the Rivers State House of Assembly as an insult, not only to the President, but also to the institution of governance, including the Senate and the House of Representatives.
“It’s an insult to the President, the action of the State of Assembly is an insult to the President, to the institution, to their senior, which is the Senate and the House of Representatives.”
He explained that the 2025 budget was prepared by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, vetted by the sole administrator, presented to the President, and subsequently transmitted to the National Assembly.
According to Warmate, the National Assembly passed the budget, and Rivers State now has an appropriation law in place.
“Any attempt to have the governor re-present the law locally is misplaced. The law already exists, and whatever the governor spends under it is constitutional,” he stated.
