Martins Amaewhule, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, called Governor Siminalayi Fubara a mistake, claiming that the wealthy oil state had never encountered the current political climate.
Amaewhule reportedly said that Fubara’s administration and his deputy, Ngozi Nma Odu, pose a threat to the state’s democratic governance during his speech in plenary on Thursday.
The Speaker declared, “Fubara is a mistake, Rivers State has never had it this bad,” while accusing him of purposefully undermining legislative power and constitutional governance.
Rivers State has delayed to submit its 2026 Appropriations Bill, which Amaewhule bemoaned as an unprecedented and embarrassing circumstance.
He claims that Rivers State is the only state in Nigeria—possibly all of West Africa—that has not yet submitted a fiscal year budget.
“It is unbelievable that a state like Rivers has neither presented nor passed an appropriations bill for 2026 in the twenty-first century,” he emphasized, adding that he would make sure that Governor Fubara and his deputy receive a written letter outlining the Assembly’s concerns within seven days.
The Speaker also charged that Governor Fubara publicly boasted to his followers that the House of Assembly is helpless, calling lawmakers “toothless bulldogs” who are unable to uphold the constitution.
Amaewhule called the current state of affairs “a sad commentary for Nigeria’s democracy,” claiming that the governor and his deputy had disregarded democratic principles and due process.
He cautioned that the state’s governance could suffer significantly if constitutional obligations are not upheld.
