President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally presented the 2025 Appropriation Bill for Rivers State to the National Assembly, following the suspension of the state’s elected government under an ongoing emergency rule.
The proposed budget, totaling ₦1.481 trillion, was detailed in a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio. It outlines significant allocations across key sectors, including ₦324 billion for infrastructure, ₦106 billion for healthcare (with ₦5 billion earmarked for free malaria medication), ₦75.6 billion for education, and ₦31.4 billion for agriculture. The administration projects the creation of approximately 6,000 new jobs through the implementation of the budget.
President Tinubu urged lawmakers to grant the proposal expedited consideration. The Senate has since referred the bill to its Ad-hoc Committee on Emergency Rule for review and recommendations.
This development follows a March 18, 2025 declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State after protracted political unrest between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the state’s House of Assembly—largely aligned with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
In the emergency broadcast, President Tinubu invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to justify the suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the state House of Assembly for a period of six months.
Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.) was appointed as interim administrator of the oil-rich state during the emergency period, and currently oversees its affairs.
The President also addressed the House of Representatives, noting that the previous 2025 budget, presented by the suspended governor, had been nullified by the Supreme Court—necessitating this new submission.
The sweeping suspension of elected officials has drawn significant backlash from civil society organizations and human rights advocates, who have condemned the action as unconstitutional and have continued to demand their reinstatement.
Meanwhile, public response in Rivers State remains divided, with ongoing protests both in support of and against the emergency rule—many led by women’s groups demanding the restoration of democratic governance.
