Rivers State's 2025 Budget Advances to Second Reading Through Voice Vote led by Akpabio
Rivers State 2025 Budget Clears Second Reading at Senate
The Nigerian Senate has approved the 2025 budget for Rivers State during its second reading, following its presentation by Senate Leader, Senator Michael Bamidele Opeyemi. The proposed budget includes a total of ₦1,480,662,592,442 trillion.
Senator Opeyemi highlighted the Senate's commitment to legislating for Rivers State due to its current State of Emergency status. This emergency declaration was made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in March 2025 in response to a political crisis, governance collapse, and threats to critical infrastructure, including oil facilities, in the state.
In his remarks, Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan emphasized the urgency of legislating the budget to allow citizens of Rivers State to experience the government's presence. He stated, "Mr President, I don't know under what topic this document is christened but I could see it is about a budget of the state of emergency. I hereby support that the budget be passed for second reading so that the people of Rivers can feel the presence of government."
The budget approval came without opposition, and Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, passed it through voice vote. The bill was then referred to the Ad-hoc Committee on overseeing Rivers State of Emergency for further legislative action.
Some legal and political observers have raised concerns about representation and accountability, as the state's elected body has been suspended, and the federal government is directly involved in presenting and defending the budget. The Federal Government has defended its actions before the Supreme Court, arguing that the situation warranted federal intervention due to a breakdown of governance and threats to national security and economic interests.
- In light of the political crisis in Rivers State, the PDP has expressed concern over President Tinubu's intervention, urging a careful approach to avoid escalating war-and-conflicts in Nigeria, given the ongoing policy-and-legislation debates.
- Months into the state of emergency, the general news is abuzz with discussions about the impact on the Nigerian economy, particularly with the rising demand for dollars due to the uncertainties surrounding the situation in Rivers State, often referred to as 'Naija' by locals.
- As the political landscape continues to evolve, political analysts are closely monitoring the situation, with some suggesting that this crisis could solidify the hold of influential figures like Senator Tinubu in the ongoing political power play.
- Meanwhile, the Senate has been working diligently on policy-and-legislation related to the state of emergency, aiming to ensure the stability and security of the state, with Senator Opeyemi at the forefront.
- Despite the ongoing crisis, Senator Adeola has emphasized the importance of governance and legislative action, urging swift passage of budgets like the one for Rivers State, to ensure the people feel the presence of government and maintain their trust in the system.
