President Tinubu Submits Rivers State 2025 Budget of N1.48 Trillion to National Assembly for Consideration

President Tinubu has requested the National Assembly to consider N1.48 trillion as Rivers State’s 2025 budget allocation.

President Bola Tinubu has asked the two chambers of the National Assembly to consider the sum of N1.48 trillion as the 2025 budget of Rivers State.

President Tinubu stated this in a letter he addressed to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Tajudeen Abbas.

The official communication was read simultaneously at both chambers by the presiding officers during plenary on Thursday.

But the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has condemned what it described as an unconstitutional, brazen, and coordinated attempt to undermine democracy in Rivers State, following the presentation of the state’s 2025 budget by Tinubu to the National Assembly for approval.

This was as Rivers women under the aegis of Rivers Women Unite for Sim (RWUS) have lamented the state of the state, claiming that they wanted back the state they used to know flourishing in business and life.

Tinubu, in the Appropriation Bill, explained that N324 billion was earmarked for infrastructure development in the fiscal year.

He also said N166 billion would be spent on the health sector, N75.6 billion for Education, N31.4 billion for Agriculture and N5 billion for free drugs distribution to all categories of people in the state, noting that the budget prioritised the creation of 6,000 jobs.

The two chambers accordingly referred the money Bill to their committees on Emergency rule in Rivers State, to report back as soon as practicable .

The letter read in part: “Please find forwarded herewith the 2025 Appropriation Bill for Rivers State for the consideration of the Senate.

“The Distinguished Senate may wish to recall that Rivers State is currently under emergency rule, which was proclaimed and duly gazetted in March 2025.

“Regulation 4, subsection 2(f) of the Emergency Rule 2025 requires authorisation for expenditure from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State in the absence of a functioning state assembly.

“It is expected that the National Assembly acts on behalf of the state assembly, hence this request for Senate approval of the Rivers State Government 2025 Appropriation Bill.

“The total sum of N1.481 trillion is allocated for both ongoing and new infrastructure projects. The sum of N166 billion is earmarked for the health sector, including N5 billion for free drugs to treat malaria and other common ailments.

“The sum of N75.6 billion is proposed for the education sector, while N31.4 billion is allocated for agriculture.

“This spending plan prioritises investment in critical sectors such as infrastructure, health, education, and agriculture, which is projected to generate approximately 6,000 jobs.

“Accordingly, I hereby forward the Rivers State Government 2025 Appropriation Bill and trust that it will receive the expeditious and favourable consideration of the Senate.

“Please accept, Distinguished Senate President and Distinguished Senators, the assurances of my highest regards.”

The National Assembly had on March 20 approved Tinubu’s request to impose a state of emergency in Rivers State. On May 6, it inaugurated an ad-hoc committee to oversee the administration of the emergency rule in the state.

The committee in the Senate, is being chaired by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central). Other members include Adamu Aliero (Kebbi), Osita Izunaso (Imo), Osita Ngwu (Enugu), Kaka Shehu (Borno), Aminu Abass (Adamawa), Tokunbo Abiru (Lagos), and Adeniyi Adegbonmire (Ondo).

The rest are Senator Sani Musa (Niger), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Asuquo Ekpeyong (Cross River), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Ireti Kingibe (FCT), Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi), Idiat Adebule (Lagos), Ede Dafinone (Delta), Mohammed Nakudu (Jigawa), and the Clerk of the Senate, Andrew Nwoba.

HURIWA: It’s Assault on Democracy

HURIWA, has condemned what it described as an unconstitutional, brazen, and coordinated attempt to undermine democracy in Rivers State, following the presentation of the state’s 2025 budget by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the National Assembly for approval.

In a statement by its national coordinator of the group, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA declared that Tinubu’s action represented “a creeping dictatorship,” a mini coup, and a dangerous descent into authoritarianism under the guise of emergency rule.

The group also indicted the Supreme Court of Nigeria and the leadership of the National Assembly as conspirators in this “anti-democratic script,” calling the development a blatant affront to the 1999 Constitution and a red flag for Nigeria’s democracy.

According to HURIWA, the transmission of a sub-national budget by the President to the National Assembly — citing an emergency rule that has not been duly and lawfully declared with the involvement of democratic institutions — amounted to an illegal takeover of governance structures in Rivers State.

“The President’s action is not only unconstitutional but also a shameful desecration of Nigeria’s federal system,” it stated, adding that, “What exactly is President Tinubu telling the world?

“That a sitting president can arbitrarily suspend democratic governance in a federating unit and rule by decree through his cronies in the legislature and judiciary? What genre of democracy is this?”

Rivers Women: We Want Our State Back

Rivers women under the aegis of Rivers Women Unite for Sim (RWUS) have lamented that they want back the state they used to know flourishing in business and life.

The women who gathered for their monthly prayer for the state, held at the Ecumenical Centre in Port Harcourt, on Thursday, expressed the believe that the ongoing reconciliation process turned out positively.

The group, populated by hundreds of women from across the 23 local government areas of the state, said they held the prayer weekly to beg God for mercy on behalf of the state and its leaders.

One of women, Comfort Jeremiah said, “As mothers in the state, as those that are most vulnerable in ills time, we decided to come together to beg God to reconcile our leaders, grant us peace, love and harmony.”

Also, a former chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Rivers State Chapter, Adata Bio-Briggs Esq, said the prayer was for the restoration of democracy in the state.

She said, “We want our democracy restored; our elected leaders regain their positions in a peaceful way. The reconciliation should be genuine and peaceful and that is what we are praying for.”