On Thursday, Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate Majority Leader, informed officials in charge of running Rivers State under emergency rule that the intervention was a constitutional response to restore order in the face of a crisis rather than a substitute for democracy.
At the National Assembly in Abuja, Bamidele, who is also the Chairman of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee in charge of the state’s emergency administration, made the accusation during the defense of Rivers’ ₦1.4 trillion 2025 budget.
Bamidele emphasized to the committee and Rivers authorities that the purpose of the emergency rule, which was established by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as modified), was to stabilize unstable areas.
In whatever political environment, he stated, “Emergency rule is not a substitute for democratic government.”
“On the contrary, it is a remarkable action intended to bring stability in place of instability, peace in place of conflict, and order in times of chaos.”
To make sure that funds are used for the advantage of Rivers State residents, the Senate Leader stated that the committee would keep a careful eye on how the budget was being implemented.
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“We are not only responsible for analyzing data, but also for making sure that the budget is faithfully carried out,” Bamidele stated.
“The public’s confidence in government is restored when allocations on paper translate into real solutions on the ground.”
He also revealed that ongoing monitoring would concentrate on vital areas like security, infrastructure, healthcare, and education.
Delay Review of Missing Financial Records — Rivers Administrator
Rivers’ lone administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, said the lawmakers that the complete investigation of first-quarter spending was hampered by officials’ refusal to produce important financial information.
“In order to guarantee a more thorough accounting of the expenditures made during the first quarter, some state officials concealed important information,” Ibas said.
Although the current situation may make the 2025 budget imperfect, he admitted that it was still in line with the Rivers State Development Plan (2017–2027).
In response to current issues and upcoming development needs, the budget is designed as a people-centered budgetary framework, according to Ibas.
After months of political unrest in Rivers State, President Bola Tinubu proclaimed emergency rule on March 18. In response, Senate President Godswill Akpabio established an ad hoc committee consisting of 18 members, under the leadership of Bamidele, to supervise the state’s governance.
Among those on the panel are Senators Adamu Aliero (Chair, Land Transport), Sani Musa (Chair, Finance), Adetokunbo Abiru (Chair, Banking and Insurance), and Tahir Munguno (Chief Whip) and Peter Nwebonyi (Deputy Chief Whip).
