The Nigerian National Assembly approved President Bola Tinubu’s emergency declaration in Rivers State, transferring control of the state’s ₦1.176 trillion budget from elected Governor Siminalayi Fubara to a federally appointed administrator.
Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired military officer, will oversee the state for six months. He will manage the 2025 budget, which includes ₦559.1 billion from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC). This translates to an average monthly revenue of ₦46.5 billion.
The declaration has sparked outrage, with many seeing it as a political move to sideline Fubara and tighten federal control over Rivers’ resources. The crisis in the state, driven mainly by a power struggle between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, has fuelled speculation that the emergency rule is a calculated effort to strengthen federal influence.
Concerns have also emerged over the approval process. Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas have been accused of bypassing constitutional procedures. They allegedly secured the required two-thirds majority through WhatsApp voice messages instead of an open vote.
The Nigerian Constitution mandates that the Senate and House of Representatives approve an emergency declaration within 48 hours if in session or within 10 days if not. If this process is not followed, the declaration automatically becomes void. The Rivers State emergency rule declaration, however, was made hastily.
With the state under emergency rule, the sole administrator now controls Rivers’ finances. Critics warn that an unelected official deciding the fate of state funds could lead to budgetary decisions that do not reflect the people’s will. Many also argue that it sets a dangerous precedent for federal interference in state affairs. Legal and political analysts caution that it could weaken state autonomy if this stands. It may also make it easier for the federal government to take control of states facing political crises in the future.
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