By Henry Umoru
Abuja – The Senate has passed for second reading a ₦1.481 trillion Appropriation Bill for Rivers State, currently under emergency rule.
The bill, which seeks to authorize expenditure from the state’s Consolidated Revenue Fund, was referred to the Senate Committee on Emergency Rule, chaired by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), for further legislative work and a report within two weeks.
President Bola Tinubu had, in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, requested Senate approval of the budget, citing the ongoing emergency rule declared in March 2025. The state’s budget was previously nullified by the Supreme Court following the collapse of governance in Rivers.
According to the president, the proposed budget is intended to fund essential services in education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, and youth and women empowerment under the Emergency Rule Government.
Leading the debate, Senator Bamidele explained, “This Bill seeks to authorize the issuance of ₦1.481 trillion for the year ending December 31, 2025. Rivers State is under Emergency Rule, and in line with Regulation 4(2)(f) of the Emergency Rule Regulations 2025, National Assembly approval is required for all expenditures.”
Highlights of the proposed budget include: Infrastructure: Over ₦324 billion for road projects and public transportation upgrades, Agriculture: ₦32 billion to promote youth involvement in farming, Education: ₦75.6 billion to enhance learning environments and access to free basic education, Healthcare: ₦166.5 billion (14.4% of the budget) for completing zonal and general hospitals, Youth Empowerment: ₦6.2 billion for digital resource centers and sports development and Women Affairs: ₦5.2 billion to support social inclusion initiatives.
Senator Bamidele emphasized that the budget is designed to stabilize the state, restore critical services, and generate approximately 6,000 jobs. Funding sources include FAAC allocations, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), VAT, mineral funds, statutory allocations, and federal refunds.
The emergency rule in Rivers was declared following a political crisis involving a power struggle between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s camp. The conflict led to legislative paralysis, destruction of government property, and the impeachment of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.
Invoking Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Federal Government imposed emergency rule, suspending the state legislature and shifting legislative powers to the National Assembly.
The Senate is expected to complete deliberation and approval of the budget following the committee’s report in two weeks.
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