Why Rivers State is under emergency rule
Earlier this year President Bola Tinubu invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, putting Rivers State under emergency rule. The move came after a series of political flare‑ups, strikes and disputes over oil revenue distribution that threatened the state’s stability. According to Senate Leader Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, the emergency is a stop‑gap, not a replacement for democratic institutions, meant to restore order and get the government back on its feet.
Vice Admiral Ibok‑Ete Ekwe Ibas, a retired navy officer, was appointed sole administrator. His job? Keep the lights on, pay the civil servants, and make sure the state’s massive cash flow from oil doesn’t disappear into chaos. Ibas inherited a pile of first‑quarter expenses from the previous administration and a mounting pressure to show visible progress before the next local elections slated for August 2025.
Inside the N1.485 trillion budget
When Ibas walked into the Senate’s Ad‑Hoc Committee on Emergency Rule Oversight in June, he brought a thick dossier outlining why the budget needed to swell from the President’s original N1.48 trillion proposal to a whopping N1.485 trillion. He argued that the extra N365 billion covered commitments already made before the emergency declaration – road contracts, school repairs, health‑clinic upgrades, and early‑stage agricultural projects.
The committee, after a technical briefing on June 19, gave the green light. The Rivers State budget now earmarks money for six key pillars:
- Infrastructure upgrade: new bridges, road resurfacing, power grid expansion, and shoreline protection to curb erosion.
- Job creation: projects designed to generate roughly 6,000 direct jobs, especially in construction and agribusiness.
- Healthcare: refurbishment of existing hospitals, procurement of medical equipment, and a push for primary health centers in rural areas.
- Education: funding for school rehabilitation, teacher training, and scholarship schemes for tertiary students.
- Agriculture: subsidies for farmers, irrigation schemes, and modern farming equipment to diversify the economy beyond oil.
- Peacebuilding and pension clearance: initiatives to ease communal tensions and settle outstanding pension arrears for retired workers.
Accompanying Ibas at the hearing were the state’s accountant general, permanent secretary and heads of the ministries involved. Their job was to field tough questions from senators about the justification for each line item. One senator asked about the massive jump from the President’s figure; Ibas replied that the increase was not a grab but a correction for pre‑emergency spending that had already been committed.
Senate Leader Bamidele praised the budget’s “performance‑driven” nature, noting that other states could learn from Rivers’ willingness to invest heavily in capital projects even under a provisional government. He also warned that such a large allocation demands stronger oversight, calling for real‑time reporting and independent audits to keep corruption at bay.
Beyond the numbers, the budget signals a broader strategy. Ibas ties the spending plan to the Rivers State Development Plan (2017‑2027), which aims to turn the state into a hub of economic inclusion and institutional strength. By funneling cash into roads, schools and farms, the administration hopes to create a virtuous cycle: better infrastructure attracts private investors, which in turn creates more jobs and tax revenue.
Critics, however, remain skeptical. Civil society groups have already filed motions for a parliamentary inquiry, demanding full disclosure of contract awards and procurement processes. They argue that emergency rule should not become a free pass for unchecked spending, especially when the state’s oil revenues are under intense scrutiny from the federal treasury.
For now, the approved budget sits on the table, ready to be rolled out as the state gears up for the August local government elections. The interim administration repeatedly stresses its commitment to transparency, promising quarterly financial statements and an open‑door policy for auditors.
Whether the N1.485 trillion will translate into tangible improvements on the ground remains to be seen. What is clear is that Rivers State’s emergency administration is walking a tightrope—balancing massive fiscal ambition with the inevitable demand for accountability from both the Senate and the citizens who hope the oil money finally reaches their streets.
fathimah az
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