Senate Warns Rivers: Emergency Rule Not Democracy

The Senate has cautioned Rivers officials that emergency rule is a temporary measure, not a substitute for democracy. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, while defending the state’s ₦1.4 trillion 2025 budget, said the intervention—invoked under Section 305 of the Constitution—aims to restore order, not replace elected governance.

He assured that the Senate would monitor how funds are used to ensure they benefit the people through key sectors like health, education, and infrastructure.

Rivers Sole Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, admitted some officials withheld key financial records, affecting budget accuracy. Despite this, he said the proposal aligns with the state’s development plan.

Emergency rule was declared by President Tinubu in March following a political crisis, with an 18-member Senate panel led by Bamidele overseeing the administration.