Rivers crisis: Wike’s camp protests as Fubara presents budget to three-man assembly 

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Monday, presented N1.18tn budgetary estimate for 2025 to the factional state House of Assembly comprising three lawmakers.

The development was a repeat of last year’s action by Fubara, who shunned the 27-member factional Assembly loyal to his predecessor and estranged godfather, Nyesom Wike.

In an interview with The PUNCH on Monday, the opposition All Progressives Congress in Rivers State accused Fubara of perpetrating an illegality.

The Rivers State House of Assembly became factionalised in October 2023 following a breakdown in the relationship between Fubara and Wike.

At the height of the crisis, Fubara survived an impeachment plot by the pro-Wike lawmakers, while the latter also announced their defection from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

Since then, Fubara had tagged the 27 lawmakers, led by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, as illegitimate, insisting he would have nothing to do with them.

On Monday, he presented the  N1.18tn 2025 budget to the three-man factional Assembly, led by the Speaker,Victor Oko-Jumbo.

The other members of the Assembly are the Deputy Speaker, Adolphus Orubienimigha, and the  House Leader, Sokari Goodboy Sokari.

The budget presentation took place at the Administrative Block of the Government House in Port Harcourt.

Fubara, in his address, said the budget, christened: “Budget of Inclusive Growth and Development,” would be implemented to achieve sustainable economic growth, accelerate development and improve the living standards of residents.

He said, “The total projected revenue for Rivers State for the 2025 fiscal year is N1,188,962,739,932.36.

Two components of the budget are constituted as follows: recurrent expenditure of N462,254,153,418.98; capital expenditure of N678,088,433,692.03; planning reserve of N35,688,864,931.16; and a closing balance of N12,931,287,890.19.

“This gives a recurrent/capital expenditure ratio of 44:56 per cent, indicating the sincere commitment of our administration to both infrastructural and human capital development of our people and state.”

Fubara said nearly N31bn had been allocated to support interventions in agricultural development and support programmes for Rivers youths to tackle unemployment. Punch