President Bola Tinubu on Thursday cited Regulation 4, Sub-section 2 of the Emergency Rule, 2025 in the letter transmitting the 2025 budget of Rivers State to the National Assembly (NASS).
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports President Tinubu also stated in the letter that the NASS is expected to act in the absence of the State House of Assembly.
TNG earlier reported Tinubu in a letter read on both the floor of the Senate and the House of Representatives requested for the approval of the Rivers State 2025 budget to the tune of N1.481 trillion.
This is coming after the Supreme Court nullified an earlier 2025 budget for the State signed into law by suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Following political tension in Rivers, Tinubu suspended Governor Fubara, declared a state of emergency and appointed a Sole Administrator for the State.
President Tinubu stated that in the absence of the State House of Assembly, it is expected that NASS acts on that behalf, hence the request for the approval for the Rivers State 2025 appropriation bill.
It is also constitutional for the House of Representatives relying on Section 11(4) of the Constitution, empowering the National Assembly to legislate for a State whose legislature is unable to function.
The president, in the letters to both the Senate and House of Representatives entitled: “Forwarding of Rivers State Government 2025 Appropriation Bill for consideration by the National Assembly” recalled that Rivers is currently under emergency rule, which was proclaimed and duly gazetted in March.
“Regulation 4, sub-section 2 of the emergency rule 2025 requires authorisation for expenditure from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers state for its activities.
“In the absence of the State House of Assembly, it is expected that the national assembly acts on that behalf, hence the request for the approval of the senate for the Rivers state government 2025 appropriation bill.
“The appropriation bill for the year 2025 is in the total sum of N1.48 trillion, wherein the sum of N324 billion is for infrastructure, both ongoing and new projects, while the sum of N166 billion is for the health sector, including N5 billion for free drugs for treatment of malaria and other common ailments.
“The sum of N75.6 billion is proposed for the educational sector and the sum of N31.4 billion is proposed for agricultural purposes,” Tinubu stated.
Tinubu further stated that the spending plan prioritised investment in critical sectors of the state, such as infrastructure, health, including drugs for malaria and other common ailments, education and agriculture projected to generate 6,000 jobs.
“Accordingly, I hereby forward the Rivers state government 2025 appropriation bill and trust that it will receive the expeditions and the auspicious consideration of the senate.
“Please accept, the distinguished Senate President and the distinguished senators, the assurances of my highest regards,” the letter to the Senate reads.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, shortly after reading the letter, referred it to the senate ad-hoc committee on emergency rule in Rivers. He directed the committee to report back to plenary as soon as possible.
TNG reports President Tinubu appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas as the military administrator to oversee the State’s operations within six months.