The Rivers State House of Assembly has voted to override Governor Siminalayi Fubara for declining assent to four controversial laws.
The house invoked its veto power during plenary in Port Harcourt.
The frosty relationship between the executive and the legislature in
Rivers State continues despite the intervention of President Bola
Tinubu.
The Governor’s decision does not come as a surprise given the provisions of the new laws passed by the lawmakers.
First the Rivers State Funds Management and Financial Autonomy Law 2023 was passed to grant financial autonomy to the house of assembly.
The second, the Rivers State Local Government Amendment law 2023 is intended to strip the Governor of his power to dissolve elected local government councils and appoint caretaker committees.
But in his letters read by the Speaker, Governor Fubara said these
legislative interventions were unnecessary and ill timed, reasons that
were rejected by the 25 lawmakers.
Governor Fubara also withheld assent to the Traditional Rulers Law 2024, which is an Amendment to reduce his power to recognize and derecognize traditional rulers amongst others.
The response was the same to the Rivers State Advertisement and Use of State Owned Property Prohibition Repeal Law 2024.
It was passed to open up access to government spaces for public use.
Not backing down, the lawmakers relied on section 100 subsections 3 and 5 of the 1999 Constitution to override the Governor’s assent.
The House of Assembly faces criticism by some persons for allegedly
trying to undermine the Governor.
But the lawmakers insist that all laws were passed in the interest of
the public and democratic institutions.
