The Rivers State Government has insisted that its N800 billion 2024 budget remains valid, despite a recent Federal High Court ruling that annulled the budget passed by the Edison Ehie-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Peter Medee, on Wednesday, said that the budget has already been enacted into law and is being implemented.

According to Medee, contesting a lawfully passed budget is a waste of time and resources.

He made this statement on a radio program in Port Harcourt, addressing the court ruling and the request by the Bright Amaewhule-led faction to resubmit the budget for approval.

Recall that the Amaewhule-led faction, loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, had on Tuesday requested Governor Siminalayi Fubara to resubmit the budget.

However, the state government maintains that the Ehie-led Assembly duly passed the budget and sees no need for resubmission. The government argues that the Amaewhule-led faction’s seats are vacant due to their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).