Senate Majority Leader Opeyemi Bamidele informed officials managing Rivers State under emergency rule on Thursday that the intervention was not a replacement for democracy, but rather a constitutional measure to restore order in the midst of a crisis.
Bamidele, Chairman of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee supervising the state’s emergency administration, delivered the accusation during the defense of Rivers’ ₦1.4 trillion 2025 budget in the National Assembly in Abuja.
Bamidele informed the committee and Rivers authorities that emergency rule was established under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as modified) to stabilize troubled regions.
He stated, “Emergency rule is not a substitute for democratic government in any political environment.
“Rather, it is an extraordinary measure designed to restore order in times of disorder, peace in place of conflict, and stability instead of instability.”
The Senate Leader stated that the committee will closely monitor budget implementation to ensure that allocations benefited the people of Rivers State.
Bamidele stated, “We are responsible not only with evaluating data, but also with ensuring that the budget is faithfully executed.
“When allocations on paper become tangible solutions on the ground, citizens’ trust in governance is restored.”
He also stated that constant inspection would concentrate on essential sectors such as infrastructure, education, healthcare, and security.
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Delay Review of Missing Financial Records – Rivers Administrator
Meanwhile, Rivers’ lone administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, informed lawmakers that some officials had refused to produce vital financial data, preventing a complete scrutiny of first-quarter expenses.
“Some state officials withheld critical information required to ensure a more complete capture of expenditures undertaken in the first quarter,” Ibas told journalists.
He admitted that, while the 2025 budget may not be perfect due to external conditions, it is compatible with the Rivers State Development Plan (2017-2027).
He added, “The budget is crafted as a people-centred fiscal blueprint, responsive to present challenges and future development imperatives.”
On March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared an emergency in Rivers State due to months of political turmoil. In response, Senate President Godswill Akpabio established an 18-member ad hoc committee, led by Bamidele, to oversee the state’s administration.
Senators Tahir Munguno (Chief Whip), Peter Nwebonyi (Deputy Chief Whip), Adamu Aliero (Chair, Land Transport), Sani Musa (Chair, Finance), and Adetokunbo Abiru (Chair, Banking and Insurance), among others, serve on the panel.
