ABUJA, Nigeria — In a dramatic turn before the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State Oversight, Sole Administrator Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd) dropped a bombshell: officials of Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s suspended administration deliberately withheld crucial financial data, hobbling efforts to craft a transparent and lawful 2025 budget.
According to Ibas, this obstruction not only concealed the true scale of first-quarter expenditures but also left Rivers State reeling under the weight of fiscal ambiguity, just as President Bola Tinubu declared emergency rule and transmitted a fresh ₦1.48 trillion proposal to the National Assembly.
Historical Context: Constitutional Tumult
The roots of this crisis run deep. In February 2025, the Supreme Court nullified Rivers State’s 2025 budget, decrying Fubara’s prior appropriation without a properly constituted House of Assembly as a “constitutional somersault.
That judgement not only halted Central Bank disbursements but also demanded the reinstatement of the 27-member Assembly, setting the stage for the federal government’s subsequent emergency intervention.
Against this fraught backdrop, Ibas’s testimony unveils a new chapter of alleged financial foul-play.
Ibas’s Testimony: Undeniable Evidence—or Politically Charged Claims?
During his defence of the proposed budget, Ibas presented stark figures:
- 2024 Revenue vs Target: Rivers State Government generated ₦1.04 trillion—31.6 per cent above the ₦800.39 billion target.
- 2024 Expenditure vs Target: Spent ₦740.74 billion, 6.7 per cent below the expected ₦793.44 billion.
- 2025 Revenue Projection: ₦1.4 trillion, with ₦597.14 billion realised by May—just 4 per cent shy of projections.
- 2025 Expenditure Asked: ₦1.48 trillion to encapsulate unregularised Q1 spending.
Ibas insisted that key officials “withheld critical information required to ensure a more complete capture of those expenditures,” forcing a hurried revision of the budget framework to ratify first-quarter spending in “a lawful and transparent structure”.
Yet, critics question whether these allegations mask deeper partisan manoeuvring.
Budget Breakdown: Boon or Bungle?
The ₦1.48 trillion proposal is ambitiously front-loaded towards infrastructure and social programmes:
| Sector | Allocation (₦bn) | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | 324.5 | 21.9 % |
| Health | 166 | 11.2 % |
| Education | 75.6 | 5.1 % |
| Agriculture | 31.4 | 2.1 % |
| Shoreline & Erosion | 38.85 | 2.6 % |
| Women & Youth Programmes | 5.5 | 0.4 % |
| Other | 806.15 | 56.7 % |
- Infrastructure (₦324.5 bn): A record commitment to high-impact roads, bridges and transport networks designed to boost connectivity across urban and rural communities.
- Health (₦166 bn): Funding includes ₦55 bn for relocating and expanding Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, ₦50 bn for zonal hospitals, plus ₦5 bn for a drug revolving fund to stabilise medicine supplies.
- Education (₦75.6 bn): Disburses ₦30 bn to zonal secondary schools and ₦5.75 bn to primary school rehabilitation, alongside inclusive learning initiatives.
- Agriculture (₦31.4 bn): Encompasses ₦4.5 bn in counterpart funding to unlock ₦45 bn for rural agricultural access, ₦10 bn for food security and ₦3.5 bn for mechanisation.
- Environment (₦38.85 bn): Shoreline protection, land reclamation and erosion control to bolster long-term resilience.
- Social Sector (₦5.5 bn): Empowerment programmes for women (₦2.5 bn) and a youth resource centre (₦3 bn) to foster enterprise.
While laudable on paper, sceptics argue these figures inflate deliverables and lack granular implementation plans—particularly in a state still reeling from financial opacity.
Political Undercurrents: A Power Struggle in Port Harcourt
The allegations against Fubara’s cronies cannot be divorced from Rivers State’s wider power tussle. Since December 2023, Fubara’s showdown with predecessor-turned-FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has splintered the PDP, plunging the state into legal quagmires and legislative deadlock.
The emergency rule and Ibas’s testimony have only fanned the flames, prompting the Rivers APC to demand Fubara’s resignation or face impeachment.
Peter Obi, former LP presidential candidate, lambasted the emergency declaration as an affront to democracy, warning it sets a “dangerous precedent” for state governance.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court’s jab at Fubara’s budgetary overreach underscores systemic constitutional breaches that extend beyond personnel squabbles.
Oversight Committee’s Response: Vigilance Promised
Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, Chair of the House Committee on Rivers State Oversight, lauded Ibas’s detailed briefing and pledged rigorous scrutiny:
“We will invite relevant officials for proper defence. While we support restoring stability, we are not going to cut corners.”
This declaration signals intensified congressional oversight. If the legislature demands line-by-line justifications and audits, Rivers State’s fiscal management could emerge more transparent—or further mired in protracted gridlock.
Implications for Fiscal Credibility and Public Trust
The uproar over withheld records and emergency intervention threatens to erode public confidence. Key questions loom:
- Were first-quarter expenditures properly authorised? If understated, this could reveal misappropriation or illicit spending.
- Can emergency rule ensure genuine oversight? Federal appointees may lack local knowledge or face partisan backlash.
- Will the 2025 budget be rubber-stamped? A cursory review risks deepening mistrust; a rigorous audit could stall vital infrastructure works.
- What precedent is set for future budgets? Should financial records ever be politicised, undermining legislative appropriation powers?
Conclusion: Between Promise and Peril
As Rivers State stands at a fiscal crossroads, Ibas’s testimony casts a long shadow over the 2025 budget’s credibility. While the N1.48 trillion proposal outlines transformative investments, the spectre of withheld records and ongoing political infighting threaten to derail implementation.
The next fortnight will be decisive: either transparency prevails, bolstering socioeconomic development, or bureaucratic gamesmanship deepens the gulf between government pronouncements and ground-level realities.
Ultimately, Rivers State’s journey from turmoil to prosperity hinges on whether accountability can outpace ambition—and if those who once concealed the numbers can be compelled to reveal the truth.
Additional reporting by Atlantic Post writers Osaigbovo Okungbowa and Kalada Jumbo.
