Tinubu Sends ₦1.48 Trillion Rivers Budget to National Assembly for Urgent Approval

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded a ₦1.48 trillion budget proposal for Rivers State to the National Assembly, seeking legislative approval for the 2025 fiscal year under emergency governance.

The proposal follows the Supreme Court’s nullification of the state’s earlier budget and the imposition of emergency rule in March 2025, which suspended the activities of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

In a letter addressed to the Senate, Tinubu explained that, under the Emergency Rule framework, federal lawmakers are empowered to act as the legislative authority for any affected state, including matters of appropriation.

"The National Assembly is expected to perform the role of the state legislature under the emergency rule framework,” the President noted.

According to the President, the spending plan is designed to prioritize critical sectors:

* ₦324 billion – Infrastructure
* ₦166 billion – Health
* ₦75.6 billion – Education
* ₦31.4 billion – Agriculture

He further highlighted that the agricultural component alone is projected to create over 6,000 jobs, contributing to the economic stability of the state amid the emergency period.

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

President Tinubu urged lawmakers to treat the request with urgency, describing the budget as essential for maintaining governance and public welfare in the state.

"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,” he concluded.

Following the reading of the President’s letter during Thursday’s plenary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the proposal to the Senate ad-hoc committee on Rivers State, instructing the panel to review and report back without delay.

The National Assembly had previously approved the emergency rule on March 20, while the ad-hoc oversight committee on Rivers was inaugurated on May 6 to monitor developments in the state.

The proposed budget marks the first time the federal legislature will be approving a state’s appropriation bill due to emergency constitutional provisions.