…Senate Vows Rigorous Oversight as N1.4 Trillion Emergency Budget Faces Scrutiny
By Comfort Olayinka
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, on Thursday revealed that certain state government officials deliberately withheld key financial records, hindering a full account of the state’s first-quarter expenditures for 2025.
Ibas made the disclosure while defending the state’s N1.4 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill before the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Oversight of Emergency Rule in Rivers State at the National Assembly in Abuja.
He admitted the budget proposal was developed under pressing circumstances, stressing that the absence of critical financial data from some state officials affected its completeness. Despite this, he insisted the budget aligns with the state’s 10-year development strategy, aiming to bolster revenue, infrastructure, and inclusive growth.
Meanwhile, Senate Leader and Committee Chairman, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, reaffirmed that the emergency rule declared by President Bola Tinubu is a constitutional intervention, not a substitute for democratic governance.
“This is a lawful, temporary measure to restore order, anchored in Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution,” Bamidele said, pledging that the committee will maintain vigilant oversight throughout the emergency period.
Bamidele stressed the Senate’s commitment to transparency, promising that every naira allocated in the budget will be tracked “project-by-project, sector-by-sector” to ensure the Rivers people feel real development impacts on the ground.
The 18-member ad-hoc committee was inaugurated by Senate President Godswill Akpabio following the imposition of emergency rule to address Rivers’ escalating political crisis, which the presidency said threatened national economic and security interests.
“As representatives of the people, we are not only tasked with evaluating figures, but also with ensuring the faithful budget execution. It is our mandate to track how allocated resources are utilised project-by-project, sector-by-sector to guarantee transparency and uphold accountability in the use of public funds.
“This means that our engagement today on the Rivers State 2025 Appropriation Bill does not end here .We shall, in the coming months, assess the performance of the budget by closely monitoring disbursements, execution timelines, and delivery outcomes.
“Our objective is to ensure that approved funds translate into meaningful development and that deviations or delays are addressed promptly in the overriding public interest.
“Beyond the numbers, we must also evaluate the real world impact of this budget on the everyday lives of the people of Rivers State. In times of political uncertainty and emergency governance, government actions must not only be lawful, but also people-centered.
“We must ask: will this budget deliver proven roads, healthcare, education, safety, and livelihoods for the people? This, ultimately, is how we build trust in government and public institutions like ours.
“When citizens can feel the dividends of democracy when allocations on paper become tangible solutions on the ground. Their faith in governance is renewed. It is this trust we must work to restore and strengthen through our recommendations and sustained legislative vigilance,” the chairman of the ad-hoc committee explained.
As scrutiny continues, the Senate warned it will not tolerate mismanagement or opacity, reaffirming its resolve to hold all actors accountable for the use of public funds under the emergency governance structure.
