Rivers Administrator To Defend Budget In NASS

The Senate on Tuesday revealed that the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas and other key functionaries would defend the state’s 2025 budget before the Joint National Assembly Ad-hoc Committee to Oversee Emergency Rule in Rivers State.

The Senate also assured Nigerians that it had determined to ensure that the people of Rivers State “are not shortchanged due to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule on March 18.”
The Leader of the Senate and chairman of the Senate Ad Hoc committee overseeing emergency rule in Rivers State disclosed this at the committee’s inaugural meeting in Abuja.

After President Tinubu declared emergency rule in Rivers State, the President of the Senate, President Godswill Akpabio, subsequently constituted an 18-member Committee on Emergency Rule under the chairmanship of Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.

Among others, the inaugural meeting was attended by Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Tahir Munguno; Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Peter Nwebonyi; Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, Senator Adamu Aliero; Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa; Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru and Chairperson, Senate Committee on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Senator Oluranti Adebule.

Bamidele revealed that both chambers of the National Assembly had agreed to hold a joint session to oversee the state’s 2025 budget, which the sole administrator presented to the parliament last week through President Tinubu.

Bamidele, representing Ekiti Central in the Senate, assured Nigerians that the National Assembly “is determined to work closely with members of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee to Oversee Emergency Rule in Rivers State to ensure financial propriety and good governance.

“It is our understanding with our colleagues in the House of Representatives that the sole administrator and other relevant functionaries of the state will all appear the joint ad-hoc committee of both chambers of the National Assembly when it is time for them to defend the 2025 the budget at the National Assembly,” Bamidele said with assurance to provide adequate oversight in the state.

He further noted that the inaugural meeting “is a necessary ritual to enable the committee to carry out its assignment and mandate. The committee will guarantee that democratic rule will continue to function in Rivers State despite the declaration of emergency rule.

“The Senate is committed to the rule of law and the tenets of democracy. I am also confident in the pedigree of the members of this ad-hoc committee to deliver on the role of overseeing the activities of the sole administrator of Rivers State,” the ad-hoc committee chairman said.

Bamidele, therefore, challenged all committee members to be diligent and thorough in providing oversight functions for the Government of Rivers State and ensuring that the citizens of Rivers State are not shortchanged due to the declaration of emergency rule.

He noted that the 2025 budget of the Rivers State Government “has been presented to the National Assembly by the Sole Administrator through the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The budget is being referred to our committee.

“The committee has just finalised its work plan and timetable, which will ensure proper budget defence by the sole administrator of Rivers State. The budget defence will involve other state officials, especially the Accountant-General of Rivers State, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance and relevant officials in charge of the state’s economy.

“As much as possible, the National Assembly will ensure propriety in discharging our oversight functions. We will also ensure that governance does not suffer in Rivers State during the period of emergency rule,” he added.