By James Isaac, Abuja
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd), has disclosed that some officials of the state government are concealing critical financial records, making it difficult to account fully for expenditures incurred in the first quarter of 2025.
Ibas made the revelation on Thursday while defending the 2025 Rivers State Appropriation Bill before the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Oversight of Emergency Rule in Rivers State at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
He admitted that the N1.4 trillion budget “may not be a perfect document” due to the time and context under which it was prepared, adding that the withholding of key financial data by some state officials hampered a comprehensive capture of first-quarter spending.
Despite these constraints, Ibas said the proposed budget aligned with the strategic goals outlined in the Rivers State Development Plan (2017–2027), with a focus on revenue mobilisation, infrastructure development, human capital enhancement, and inclusive growth.
“The budget is crafted as a people-centered fiscal blueprint, responsive to present challenges and future development imperatives,” he said.
In his remarks, Senate Leader and Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, clarified that the emergency rule in Rivers State is a constitutional measure and not a replacement for democratic governance.
“Emergency rule is an extraordinary measure designed to restore order, not a substitute for elected government, citing Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as the legal foundation for the declaration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”.Bamidele said,
The Senate had established the 18-member committee to oversee developments in Rivers following President Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in the state due to its prolonged political crisis and threats to national security and the economy.
Bamidele stressed the committee’s mandate to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public funds during the emergency period, warning that the Senate would closely track how every allocation is utilised.
“Our engagement today does not end here. We will assess the performance of this budget in the coming months—monitoring disbursements, timelines, and outcomes,” he said.
“We must ask: will this budget deliver roads, healthcare, education, and livelihoods for the people? It is through such outcomes that we restore trust in governance and public institutions.”
Other members of the oversight committee include Senate Chief Whip Senator Tahir Munguno, Deputy Chief Whip Senator Peter Nwebonyi, Senator Adamu Aliero, Senator Sani Musa, and Senator Adetokunbo Abiru, among others.
