By Micah Jonah
January 26, 2026
A former member of the National Assembly, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, has stated that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is not constitutionally required to present the 2026 budget to the State House of Assembly until July, as the existing appropriation law is still in force.
Nwuke explained that during the period of emergency administration in the state, President Bola Tinubu transmitted Rivers State’s budget to the National Assembly around July 2025, which was subsequently approved as the official appropriation for a full fiscal year.
According to him, the budget passed last year remains valid for twelve months, does not expire midway through the year, making the demand for a new budget presentation before July unnecessary.
He noted that a supplementary budget can only be introduced by the executive when there is a clear need, such as revenue shortfalls or changes in debt obligations, stressing that such a process cannot be imposed by the legislature without justification.
Nwuke questioned calls for a fresh budget, stating that the Governor’s refusal to submit another appropriation bill should not be grounds for political confrontation or legislative pressure.
Supporting this position, a member of the Rivers State Elders and Leaders Forum and pioneer spokesman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Anabs Sara Igbe, said the life span of any approved budget is one year and that the current appropriation remains effective until mid 2026.
Sara Igbe added that there was no urgency for another budget until the existing one completes its full cycle, insisting that the fiscal calendar must be respected to maintain constitutional order.
He further alleged that impeachment threats against the governor were politically motivated and linked to demands for financial concessions from lawmakers, rather than genuine concerns over governance procedures.
According to him, some legislators had already received substantial funds during the previous administration and were now seeking additional allocations without clear evidence of constituency projects.
Sara Igbe criticized the lawmakers for what he described as misplaced priorities, urging them to account for earlier funds received before making further financial demands.
He also described Governor Fubara as patient and law abiding, noting that the governor had avoided the use of executive powers that could escalate the political crisis in the state.
The elder statesman added that fears over future party nominations were also driving tensions between the governor and some members of the legislature.
Efforts to obtain comments from the House Committee Chairman on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Enemi George, were unsuccessful as calls and messages were not returned at the time of filing this report.
