A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Daboikiabo Warmate, has accused the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, of attempting to ascend to the governorship through unconstitutional means.
Warmate made the allegation while speaking on a political programme on Friday, where he claimed that Amaewhule stood to benefit personally from the ongoing controversy surrounding the state’s budget and impeachment threats against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
According to him, the Speaker’s actions are driven by personal ambition rather than constitutional propriety. He argued that the situation is being deliberately escalated to create a political opening that could favour Amaewhule.
Warmate cited Section 122 of the 1999 Constitution, which allows a governor to authorise expenditure from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for a period of up to six months where a budget has not been passed, a provision commonly referred to as default appropriation.
He described the posture of the Rivers State House of Assembly as disrespectful to democratic institutions, stating that it amounted to an insult to the President and to the hierarchy of governance, including the National Assembly.
Warmate further explained that the 2025 budget was duly prepared by Governor Fubara, vetted by the sole administrator during the period of emergency rule, presented to the President and transmitted to the National Assembly.
He noted that the National Assembly subsequently passed the budget, giving Rivers State a valid appropriation law.
“Any attempt to suggest that the governor must represent the law locally is misplaced,” he said. “The law already exists, and whatever the governor spends under it is constitutional.”
He maintained that the impeachment narrative being pushed against the governor lacks legal foundation and warned against actions capable of deepening political tension in the state.
