Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Thursday, September 3, 2026, signed the state’s 2026 Appropriation Bill into law, deepening efforts to restore cooperation between the executive and legislature.
Fubara assented to the revised ₦1.84 trillion budget at the State Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt, shortly after the Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly passed it.
Describing the development as a “breath of fresh air”, the governor expressed hope that improved relations would accelerate development across the state.
He also acknowledged former governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for facilitating the meeting and developments that culminated in the budget’s passage.
Assembly Majority Leader, Major Jack, described the appropriation as ambitious, saying lawmakers subjected it to detailed scrutiny.
Speaker Martin Amaewhule said the House amended the proposal, including the ₦6 billion earmarked for PAMO University of Medical Sciences.
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He said the allocation was reviewed after lawmakers raised concerns over the utilisation of previous funds and the institution’s explanations. Part of the money was redirected to the Rivers State Primary Healthcare Development Board.
Fubara presented the original ₦1,854,248,734,475.76 proposal on July 10, 2026.
Tagged “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development,” it represented a 24.49 per cent increase over the adjusted 2025 budget, with ₦1.405 trillion for capital expenditure and ₦413.11 billion for recurrent spending.
The Assembly began considering the proposal in September, more than six weeks after its presentation, before passing the amended version on Thursday.
The development comes against the backdrop of the prolonged political dispute between Fubara and the Amaewhule-led Assembly, which contributed to President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers on March 18, 2025.
Tinubu lifted the emergency rule on September 17, 2025, restoring the elected government and legislature.
The governor’s assent now provides Rivers with its statutory spending framework for 2026 and represents a further step towards normalising relations between the two arms of government.