Rivers State Breaks Silence on Supreme Court Ruling, Insists Jumbo Remains Speaker

The Rivers State Government has reaffirmed that Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo remains the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, despite the Supreme Court’s dismissal of an appeal related to the legislative crisis.

In a statement on Monday, Rivers Commissioner for Information, Joe Johnson, explained that the state withdrew its appeal against the Court of Appeal ruling on the Assembly dispute because the matter had become a “mere academic exercise.” According to Johnson, the 2024 budget, which was at the center of the legal dispute, had already been fully implemented by December 31, 2024, making the appeal unnecessary.

“The appeal is of no useful purpose. The only reasonable thing left to do is to withdraw the appeal and have it dismissed,” Johnson stated. He also emphasized that the Supreme Court is a busy institution and should not be burdened with cases that no longer have practical significance.

The Rivers State Government dismissed any claims that the ruling was a defeat for Governor Siminalayi Fubara, urging the public to ignore what it described as outdated political propaganda. The government maintained that Fubara voluntarily withdrew the appeal because the 2024 budget cycle had ended.

Johnson further stressed that Jumbo remains the legitimate Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and that nothing has changed in that regard.