One month after Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara presented his 2026 Appropriation Bill, the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly is yet to pass it into law.
Investigations traced the delay to fresh agreements between the Assembly and the governor that have not been fully honoured, even as little has been heard publicly about the budget since its presentation.
Fubara presented the ₦1.854 trillion bill, tagged the “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development,” to the Assembly on July 10, 2026.
Receiving it, Speaker Amaewhule expressed concern over the late presentation but assured lawmakers would give the proposal due attention.
The delay comes against the backdrop of a lingering political crisis between Fubara and his predecessor, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, whose allies control the Amaewhule-led Assembly, a rift that had earlier produced nearly two years of parallel legislative sittings before both sides reconciled.
Some projects, including the multi-billion-naira Ring Road, are reportedly being executed on a limited scale due to the lack of appropriated funds, while a proposed ₦41.4 billion allocation to the Assembly has drawn criticism from residents who consider it too high.
Wike, responding to questions from journalists in Port Harcourt last Tuesday, alleged that Fubara had failed to fulfil almost all the agreements reached with lawmakers, specifically citing unfunded obligations to the State Assembly Service Commission.
“I will tell you totally that the governor has failed 90 per cent of what they all agreed on. Take, for example, he did not release funds to the State Assembly Commission and the rest of them. Cars were not provided,” Wike said.
Assembly Source Says Lawmakers Want Agreement Honoured First
A source within the Assembly, speaking on condition of anonymity, said fresh agreements between Fubara and lawmakers, reached to pave the way for the budget’s presentation, are behind the delay.
“The governor has not been able to fulfil the agreements. Nobody forced him to enter into the agreement, which the lawmakers know is within his capacity to fulfil. Instead of doing it once, he is doing it in piecemeal,” the source said.
The source said the unresolved details involve lawmakers’ entitlements and constituency projects, adding that a lack of mutual trust following past broken promises means lawmakers now want the governor to satisfy his side of the bargain before the budget proceeds further.
Efforts to reach the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi, for comment were unsuccessful.
Convener of the Rivers Peace Initiative, Obinna Ebogidi, called on both arms of government to give Rivers residents clarity on the budget’s status, warning that every day of delay means delayed roads, schools, hospitals and youth programmes.
“The concern is not about rushing the legislative process, but about ensuring that the process does not lose momentum, particularly because implementation time is already becoming limited,” Ebogidi said.
He acknowledged the delay is unfolding against a backdrop of political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections, but insisted governance must continue regardless of the political calendar.
National President of the South-South Youths Initiative, Oscar Imeabe, echoed the concern, describing budgets as the blueprint for development and urging the Assembly to prioritise the bill’s passage.
“Budgets are the blueprint for development. Every day of delay is a day of delayed roads, schools, hospitals, and youth programmes,” Imeabe said.
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