The Senate has announced that the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, alongside key state officials, is expected to appear before a Joint National Assembly Ad-hoc Committee to defend the state’s 2025 budget.
This was disclosed on Tuesday at the inaugural meeting of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Emergency Rule in Rivers State, chaired by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
Bamidele reaffirmed the legislature’s commitment to upholding good governance and fiscal accountability in Rivers State following the declaration of emergency rule by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 18 March 2025.
“In agreement with our colleagues in the House of Representatives, the sole administrator and other relevant officials will appear before the joint ad-hoc committee when it is time to defend the 2025 budget,” he said.
The committee, comprising 18 members and constituted by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, is tasked with supervising the activities of the emergency administration in the state.
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Bamidele stressed that the National Assembly would carry out its oversight duties diligently to ensure that Rivers State continues to receive effective governance despite the emergency rule.
“The committee will safeguard the continuity of democratic processes in Rivers State. The Senate remains committed to the rule of law and democratic principles. I have full confidence in the calibre of members appointed to this committee,” he said.
He noted that the 2025 budget had already been presented to the National Assembly by the Sole Administrator through the President and would undergo thorough examination.
“The budget has now been referred to our committee. We have finalised a detailed work plan and timetable to facilitate comprehensive budget defence by the sole administrator and key state officials, including the Accountant-General of Rivers State, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, and other economic stakeholders,” Bamidele added.
He assured that the committee would prioritise transparency, diligence, and accountability, stating, “The National Assembly will uphold propriety in its oversight functions and ensure governance in Rivers State is not compromised during the emergency period.”
