President Bola Tinubu has officially transmitted the proposed ₦1.481 trillion budget for Rivers State’s 2025 fiscal year to the National Assembly for approval. ThePulseinfo reports that during Thursday’s plenary session, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, formally read out President Tinubu’s request. Similarly, Senate President Godswill Akpabio presented the letter on the floor of the Senate, signalling the commencement of the legislative review process.
Breaking down the budget, the president outlined key allocations: ₦324 billion is earmarked for infrastructure development, ₦166 billion dedicated to the health sector, ₦75.6 billion allocated for education, and ₦31.4 billion for agricultural initiatives. President Tinubu urged the lawmakers to consider the appropriation bill swiftly and expedite its passage to enable timely implementation.
Earlier, on April 3, the sole administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas, announced plans for the upcoming 2025 budget, highlighting a focus on education, healthcare, social services, and infrastructure as top priorities for the oil-rich state.
It is important to recall that on March 18, 2025, President Tinubu suspended the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State Assembly for a six-month period. The suspension followed the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing a prolonged political crisis that threatened governance and stability in the region. Subsequently, Tinubu appointed retired Navy Chief Ibok-Ete Ibas as the sole administrator to manage the state’s affairs during this period.
Meanwhile, in a related development, Benjamin Okaba, President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), has issued a caution to the people of the Niger Delta region, urging them to remain vigilant against divisive tactics aimed at undermining regional unity. Speaking at the News Central Town Hall in Rivers State on Thursday, Okaba, a professor of sociology, described the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State as part of a larger scheme of state capture engineered by political actors intending to destabilize the Niger Delta.
Professor Okaba emphasized that the turmoil in Rivers State reflects systemic failures within Nigeria’s political framework, stating, “The Rivers matter is not just about the state itself, but symptomatic of a broader political capture of the entire Niger Delta region.” He stressed that this manipulation threatens the collective interests of the region and called on the people to resist any attempts at division or exploitation.
He further noted that the divisions witnessed in the political landscape are deeply rooted, but encouraged the people to recognize these as orchestrated strategies rather than genuine conflicts. “I have listened to all contributions, and it’s clear we are a divided house, but this is exactly what those behind the scenes want,” Okaba remarked.
This development adds a new dimension to the already tense political atmosphere in Rivers State and the wider Niger Delta, with the upcoming budget approval seen as a critical step toward restoring stability and advancing development in the region. As the National Assembly prepares to review the ₦1.481 trillion budget proposal, all eyes remain on the legislative process and the potential impact on the future governance and socio-economic progress of Rivers State.
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