Onyinyechi DURU
The visit of the Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to the assembly quarters to present the 2025 budget to the state assembly led by Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule has generated mixed reactions.
TPCN correspondent visited some areas in Port Harcourt on a vox pop, to get the opinion of residents of the state.
While some commended Fubara, describing his action as a bold step and sign of peace, there are others who believes that the governor was not ready for peace and accused him of invading the assembly quarters.
Fubara’s visit to the assembly on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, came after his declaration during an inauguration on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, that he would comply with the judgment of the Supreme Court.
He visited the assembly quarters on Wednesday, but was denied access as the gate was locked.
The governor revealed that before the visit on Wednesday, he had written to the assembly through the speaker, disclosing his intention to present the 2025 Rivers State Appropriation Bill to the assembly, 10 am the following day.
Addressing newsmen, Fubara who spoke in front of the entrance gate noted that, “I’m here myself this morning with a few members of the executive council to comply with the Supreme Court Judgment. Before my arrival, I had already made several attempts by phone call to reach the speaker and other members.
“I also did a letter personally, which was transmitted to the honourable speaker for this particular invitation, but it’s unfortunate that I’m at the gate, you can see that the place is completely sealed and there is no sign that anything is going to happen today.”
The governor reaffirmed that “the reason why we are doing this, I have always said it, is the interest of our people which is the most important thing.
Also Read:
“Well, I don’t think there is anything to worry about. Maybe they are working on the letter. I expect to hear from them.”
Here are the responses of the residents that spoke with our correspondent:
Mr Chimenem Bobo Worlu, youth leader, Rivers State:
Well, the governor visiting the assembly this morning without following due process is still a joke taken too far.
As a governor of a state, he knows the process of presenting a budget or going to meet the assembly if they are sitting or not, but he violated these processes and just went to the assembly.
We, the Rivers people, know that the governor has a programme today in Ogoni, Bori. He was going for a commissioning and did a by-stop, so he didn’t go to the assembly. If he is going to the assembly, the assembly is open for him to enter.
He will write to them with date and time, then they will respond but in this case he didn’t follow due process, it’s still a joke taken too far.
The step the governor took this morning is very wrong. The truth is that he doesn’t need to pretend that he is not in a good relationship with the assembly, and that is why due process has to be taken, so the step he took this morning is a wrong one just to create more problems, he is not ready for peace.
Mr Adindu Chima, resident of Rumukwurushi:
Yes, I am very happy with the action of our governor, he tried, God bless him.
I support it because it means that he wants peace to return to the state, he does not want to scatter the state, he does not want to fight, and all those things, he wants peace, he is a good man.
Well, I don’t know why the assembly locked the gate. What I want to tell them is that we don’t have two Rivers States, Rivers State is one, we cannot also have two governors at the same time, they should settle and move on.
Mr. George Emphraim, a resident of Rumuewhara:
What the governor did today was to ridicule himself and he doesn’t deserve such a thing, no.
I commend him for writing to the assembly and his desire to present the budget in compliance with the Supreme Court Judgment, but he should have waited for the response, reaction, they call it feedback from the assembly before going there.
Even in a family, there are disagreements, quarrels, but both parties must agree on a day, time, and place to discuss and resolve, in this case, the place is obviously the assembly quarters but there was no agreement.
I am an Iwhuruoha man, a complete Ikwerre, Rivers man, I am almost 50, I am not in support of any form of impeachment, haba! That is not the way to go.
I want to beg the honourable speaker and other members of the assembly to sheath their swords for the sake of the Rivers people.
Samuel Jackson, resident of Rumukwurushi:
What the governor did was trying to invade the assembly quarters, yes, invade, that’s it, and I believe they locked the place because they don’t know what he is coming to do there, that’s is.
This is simply communication. You write to me and wait for my response before you take action. Didn’t the assembly give him 48 hours? They even extended it yet he did not come. How can you write to the assembly yesterday, without response, you come today to submit a budget, no na, did he do it like that when he was using Mr Oko-Jumbo?
Oronne Amadi, Eneka resident:
My own is that we want peace in Rivers State. I am not supporting anybody, let their be peace in Rivers State.
In that one, I think our governor should have heard from the assembly before going.
Gomba Stanley, Rukpokwu resident:
The Rivers State House of Assembly should not allow themselves to be used to cause problems in Rivers State, please, they should allow peace, please.
Goodness Philip, Rumuewhara resident:
For me, God has blessed us with a good man, a good governor, but we are seeing him like a fool. governor Fubara is not a fool, he is not, that he is humble, not like the former governor does not mean he is stupid.
Let them end this fight so the state can move forward, people are suffering.
Ikechukwu Matthew, Eneka resident:
If you write to the speaker, you wait for his response. He will have to call his fellow house members for a meeting to inform them. They will have to agree on a suitable date. I love my governor but he didn’t try for this one.
The only challenge the governor has is his followers, his advisers.
