Court to Deliver Landmark Ruling on Rivers State Budget Saga
A pivotal legal decision is imminent as the Federal High Court in Abuja prepares to rule on July 18, 2025, on a motion seeking to curtail the National Assembly's legislative powers concerning the Rivers State Government's budget and appointments. This eagerly anticipated verdict comes amidst a fierce constitutional dispute over the National Assembly's authority to approve the state's finances under the current Sole Administrator.
The legal challenge, brought forth by a coalition of Rivers State indigenes and the Registered Trustees of Hope Africa Foundation, seeks an "interlocutory injunction" to bar the National Assembly and its Clerk from any further involvement in approving, supporting, or engaging in legislative activities, including the authorization of budgets or appointments for Rivers State.
Central to the applicants' argument is the ₦1.485 trillion 2025 Rivers State budget, which the Senate passed on June 25, 2025. They contend that this budget, forwarded by the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), was approved via an "unconstitutionally prohibited 'voice vote.'" The plaintiffs assert that this entire process further entrenches alleged illegalities stemming from the state of emergency declared in Rivers State.
President Bola Tinubu had previously transmitted the 2025 Rivers State Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly for approval, citing the ongoing state of emergency imposed in March 2025. According to the President, this emergency rule necessitated the National Assembly's assumption of the legislative duties of the suspended Rivers State House of Assembly.
However, the plaintiffs vehemently argue that the declaration of the state of emergency itself lacked proper legislative backing and violated constitutional provisions. They maintain that the National Assembly's subsequent actions, including budget approvals and various appointments, are in direct furtherance of an "illegal administrator foisted on the applicants' Rivers State."
In its defense, the National Assembly has countered that granting the motion would severely impede its operations, potentially leading to "pandemonium and confusion in governance in Rivers" and ultimately serving against the interest of justice.
The impending ruling on July 18 is expected to be a landmark moment in the protracted political and legal wrangling over the governance of Rivers State, with significant implications for constitutional powers and state autonomy.
