Rivers Assembly gives Fubara 48 hours to present 2025 Budget

The Rivers State House of Assembly has written to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, directing him to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill within 48 hours.

The letter was a resolution of the House during the 130th Legislative Day of the Second Session of the Tenth Assembly, held on Monday, March 3, 2025.

According to the letter titled: “Resolutions of the Rivers State Assembly Pursuant to the Judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria Delivered on Friday, February 28, 2025,” the Assembly’s decision is in response to the Supreme Court’s judgment, which ordered the stoppage of statutory federal allocations to the Rivers State Government and the halting of spending from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State pending the passage of an Appropriation Bill.

In addition to presenting the 2025 budget, the Assembly also resolved to commence the process of amending the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law No. 2 of 2018.

This move, according to them, aims to align these laws with the Electoral Act and pave the way for fresh local government elections in the state.

The letter read: “At the 130th Legislative Day of the Second Session of the Tenth (10th) Rivers State House of Assembly, which was held on Monday, the 3rd day of March 2025, the House, among other matters, deliberated on the judgments of the Supreme Court in suit numbers SC/CV/1174/2024 and SC/CV/1105/2024, delivered on the 28th day of February 2025, and resolved as follows:

“That pursuant to the order of the Supreme Court in Suit No.: SC/CV/1174/2024 for the stoppage of statutory federal allocations to the Rivers State Government and the halting of spending from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State pending the passage of an Appropriation Bill, you are requested to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the House in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“That the House expects you to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill within 48 hours.

“That since the Supreme Court, in the judgment delivered in Suit No.: SC/CV/1105/2024, nullified the purported Rivers State Local Government Elections of 5th October 2024 for non-compliance with the Electoral Act, among other reasons, the House would soon commence the process of amending the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law No. 2 of 2018 so that they can be in tandem with the Electoral Act and pave the way for the commencement of plans for fresh local government elections in the state.”

Furthermore, the Assembly has drawn the governor’s attention to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which prohibits the administration of local governments by Heads of Local Governments (HLGAs) or any other persons other than democratically elected officials.

Also: “That your attention should be drawn to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the Rivers State Local Government (Amendment) Law, 2023, as well as the judgment of the Supreme Court in Suit No.: SC/CV/343/2024, which prohibits the administration of local governments by HLGAs or any other persons other than democratically elected officials.

“That the House would proceed on a 12-week recess from Friday, 7th March 2025, but Standing Committees would be expected to continue statutory functions.”*

However, the lawmakers have urged Governor Fubara to act swiftly and take necessary actions in the best interest of the people of Rivers State.

“Please be informed that our resolutions are geared towards a quick fix to the current financial quagmire occasioned by the absence of an Appropriation Law for Rivers State. We do not want the people of Rivers State to suffer. We, therefore, urge you to act fast and do the needful in the best interest of the good people of Rivers State.”