The sole administrator of Rivers State Ibok-Ete Ibas, has announced that the state will soon unveil a new 2025 budget aimed at advancing the state’s development agenda. The announcement came during a meeting with a delegation from the Rivers caucus in the National Assembly, held at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Thursday.
Ibas emphasized that the upcoming budget would prioritize key sectors, including education, healthcare, social services, and infrastructure. He stressed that the state’s economic stability and development remain central to the administration’s goals, alongside ongoing peace-building efforts.
“We are determined to put together a new budget that reflects our unwavering commitment to improving healthcare, education, social services, and infrastructure development,” Ibas stated. “We have worked diligently to ensure the budget process is transparent, inclusive, and expedited. Our priority is to invest in the well-being of our citizens without further delays.”
Ibas also highlighted the importance of collaboration with the state’s lawmakers to ensure that Rivers remains on a path of progress and enduring peace. The delegation from the National Assembly, led by Senator Barinada Mpigi, who represents Rivers South-East, included prominent lawmakers such as Allwell Onyesoh (Rivers senatorial district) and Kingsley Chinda (minority leader of the House of Representatives). Other members of the House of Representatives from Rivers also attended the meeting, including Dumnamene Dekor, Solomon Bob, Cyril Godwin Hart, Blessing Amadi, Felix Nwaeke, Kelechi Nwogu, and Victor Obuzor.
The lawmakers reaffirmed their commitment to supporting all peace and development efforts in the state, recognizing the critical partnership between the state government and the National Assembly.
The Rivers Budget Crisis: A History of Legal Challenges
The state’s budget crisis dates back to late 2023 when the Rivers House of Assembly was split into two factions. In December 2023, then-governor Siminalayi Fubara presented an N800 billion budget estimate for 2024 to a five-member House of Assembly led by Edison Ehie. However, barely a day after the budget was presented, Governor Fubara signed the 2024 appropriation bill into law.
In January 2024, a federal high court in Abuja voided the passage and presentation of the 2024 budget, ruling that it had been done in violation of legal procedures. The court also prohibited the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the accountant-general from releasing statutory monthly allocations to the state.
Following the court ruling, Fubara was ordered to re-present the budget to the legally constituted House of Assembly. The Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld the lower court’s judgment in October 2024, and the Supreme Court further affirmed this decision on February 28, 2025.
In light of these challenges, Fubara attempted to replicate the 2023 incident by presenting a N1.18 trillion appropriation bill to just four members of the House of Assembly in January 2025, signing the bill into law within 72 hours.
Suspension of Governor Fubara and the Appointment of Sole Administrator
On March 18, 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing the ongoing political crisis. As part of the declaration, Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired naval officer, was subsequently appointed as the sole administrator of Rivers State to oversee its governance and ensure political stability. Last month, Ibas confirmed that the previously withheld Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds had been released to the state, marking a crucial step toward resolving the financial challenges the state faced.
The forthcoming budget is expected to play a central role in the state’s recovery and long-term development, with a clear focus on essential public services and infrastructure projects that will benefit Rivers citizens.
