The comedy of errors playing out in the oil-rich Rivers State continued on Thursday as the state governor, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara signed into law, the 2024 Appropriation Bill of N80bn a day after he presented the budget to the State House of Assembly presently constituted by only four members.

Hon. Edison Ehie and his colleagues loyal to the Governor’s camp have passed the bill, sent it to the governor who immediately assented to it on Thursday.

But the political development in the state on Thursday claimed its first casualty as Mr. Zacchaeus Adangor the attorney-general and commissioner of justice in the state resigned as the attorney-general and commissioner of justice in Rivers state.

In a letter addressed to Governor Fubara, the AG and Commissioner of Justice said his resignation was “based purely on personal principles”. However, sources close to Mr. Adangor said that he may resigned because of the presentation of the budget by the governor to five members of the house of assembly, as well as the demolition of the state house of assembly complex on Wednesday.

The Commissioner was, however, silent on it . He said: “I wish to thank your Excellency for the opportunity and privilege granted me to serve in your administration as a member of the cabinet. My family and I are indebted to your Excellency in gratitude,” the notice of resignation reads.

“I wish your Excellency a successful tenure. Please accept the assurances of my highest regards always.

The budget signing ceremony according to sources was witnessed by the Deputy Governor, Prof Ngozi Odu, some members of the State Executive Council, present and former lawmakers who support Governor Fubara, and some chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Local Government Areas.

Speaking at the ceremony, the governor said the estimated N800bn, tagged, ‘Budget of Renewed Hope, Consolidation and Continuity’ will be well implemented to provide critical infrastructure like the second phase of the landmark Trans-Kalabari road and meet the socio-economic needs of the people.

On his part, Hon. Edison Ehie, one of those contending the Speakership seat in the Rivers State House of Assembly, commended the governor’s foresight in expanding infrastructure and youth development through employment generation.

The governor had on Wednesday presented the budget estimates to five lawmakers led by Ehie, after the controversial demolition of the Assembly complex.

The Ehie-group had also declared vacant, the seats of the 27 members that defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Hon. Ehie and Hon. Martins Amaewhule have been embroiled in a Speakership tussle that is in court.

On Monday, 27 lawmakers of the house of assembly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). It was reported that two of them have made a u-turn and returned to the PDP.

On Wednesday, after the assembly complex was demolished by the state government, Hon. Edison Ehie, speaker of the Rivers assembly who is loyal to Gov. Fubara, declared the seats of the lawmakers who defected vacant.

Gov. Fubara thereafter presented the state’s N800 billion budget of ‘Renewed Hope, Consolidation and Continuity’, to a five members of the assembly in government house.