President Bola Tinubu has submitted a N1.48 trillion budget proposal for Rivers State to the National Assembly for approval, following the Supreme Court's nullification of the state's earlier 2025 budget and the imposition of emergency rule in the state.
The President’s request, contained in a letter read on the Senate floor on Thursday, emphasized that federal legislative action was necessary due to the suspension of the Rivers State House of Assembly under emergency rule declared in March 2025.
"In accordance with Regulation 4, subsection 2(f) of the Emergency Rule 2025 provisions, the National Assembly is empowered to approve financial appropriations on behalf of the state during this period," Tinubu wrote.
The proposed budget prioritizes key sectors, with N324 billion earmarked for infrastructure, N166 billion for health, N75.6 billion for education, and N31.4 billion for agriculture. The agricultural component is expected to generate approximately 6,000 jobs.
Tinubu urged lawmakers to act swiftly in the interest of governance and stability in the state. “This spending plan is tailored to address the urgent needs of Rivers State under the current circumstances. I trust it will receive the Senate’s prompt and favourable consideration,” he stated.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, after reading the President’s letter, referred the proposal to the Senate’s ad-hoc committee on Rivers State. The committee was directed to scrutinize the budget and report back without delay.
The emergency rule in Rivers was approved by the Senate on March 20, following escalating political and security instability in the state. An oversight committee was later constituted on May 6 to supervise the administration of the state during the emergency period.
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