By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Rivers State Government has faulted the 48 hours ultimatum the Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly gave the state’s helmsman, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, to present the 2025 budget
The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, countered the stand of the pro-Wike lawmakers while reacting to the latest development in the lingering Rivers Crisis.
Speaking to newsmen on Monday night concerning the stance of the Fubara administration on the budget “re-presentation” to Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly Johnson condemned the tone and language of the directive by pro-Wike lawmakers, describing it as “undemocratic and disrespectful” to the governor.
Johnson said the government had yet to receive the CTC of the Supreme Court judgment, insisting that the state would act accordingly when received.
He said Fubara had shown good faith by directing the sacked LG chairmen to hand over to the HLGAs in the 23 LGs.
“I insist that we can only do as much as we can on that judgment when we receive the CTC.
“But to show good faith, the governor has even gone ahead to direct the LG chairmen to hand over to the Heads of Local Government Administration in their councils.
“And they (outgoing chairman) are handing over already. It will sound disrespectful to say the governor will do this. I’m not the governor. I’m just the commissioner for information. Let us wait, Friday is just here,” he said.
He faulted the lawmakers for ordering the governor to submit the budget within 48 hours.
“The issue of saying the governor has been ordered sounds too military. It is not a democratic language. Nobody orders anybody. By Friday, we will get the judgment, look at it and I will personally call the media to say this is what we have and this is what we are going to do. It is enough to say Au revoir,” he added.
The commissioner also reacted to the council administration, saying, “If there is no democratically elected official, shouldn’t the councils administer themselves? When you remove a commissioner, for instance, I’m the commissioner for information, if I’m removed, the next person to take over is the Permanent Secretary; true or false? So I leave that to the court of public opinion,” he said.
