The Nigerian Senate has revealed that a significant portion of the N1.48 trillion 2025 budget submitted by the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), was originally crafted by the suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who chairs the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Emergency Governance in Rivers State, made the disclosure during a budget defence session with Ibas and senior state officials at the National Assembly.
According to Bamidele, after three weeks of in-depth scrutiny, the committee established that 85 per cent of the budgetary estimates submitted were drawn up under Fubara’s administration prior to his suspension.
“Our engagements with the sole administrator and top government officials — including the Accountant General, Permanent Secretary of Finance, Budget Director, and Planning Director — confirmed that only 15 per cent of the budget was introduced by the current administrator,” Bamidele said.
The committee also noted that a supplementary budget of ₦50 billion had been requested by Ibas, aimed at settling outstanding pensions and gratuities in the state — a proposal now under Senate consideration.
“This request is rooted in an urgent need to address pension liabilities and foster peace and stability in Rivers,” Bamidele added. “It’s a responsible gesture because governance is not limited to roads and bridges — it must also cater to the welfare of those who have served the state.”
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In what the committee termed a “progressive shift,” Bamidele disclosed that over 70 per cent of the Rivers 2025 budget was allocated to capital expenditure, a development the Senate praised and encouraged other states to emulate.
“This budget reflects a prioritisation of development over recurrent spending. It’s a commendable move that could serve as a model for other state governments,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Senate reiterated its commitment to closely monitoring the disbursement and implementation of the Rivers budget under the ongoing emergency rule.
The 2025 budget process in Rivers State comes amid heightened political tension and governance restructuring following the declaration of emergency rule and the suspension of key officeholders.