President Bola Tinubu’s administration has thrust Nigeria’s federalist principles into uncharted territory, seeking National Assembly approval for Rivers State’s N1.48 trillion 2025 budget—a move critics argue blurs constitutional lines between federal and state autonomy. The request, detailed in a letter read during Thursday’s plenary sessions, marks the first time the federal legislature would directly authorize a state’s fiscal plan, raising alarms over centralized power in a nation already grappling with regional distrust .
Tinubu’s appeal hinges on Rivers State’s ongoing emergency rule, declared in March 2025 after a political crisis paralyzed its House of Assembly. The proclamation, gazetted under the Emergency Powers Act, empowers the federal government to assume legislative functions in the absence of a functioning state assembly. While the law permits emergency expenditure approvals, critics argue Tinubu’s sweeping budget submission—covering infrastructure, health, education, and agriculture—exceeds the Act’s intent, transforming oversight into outright control .
The proposed budget allocates N324 billion to infrastructure, N166 billion to health (including N5 billion for malaria drugs), N75.6 billion to education, and N31.4 billion to agriculture, with claims of generating 6,000 jobs. While Tinubu’s letter frames these allocations as “critical investments,” opposition lawmakers and civil society groups question the transparency of earmarks in a state under federal stewardship .
Senate President Godswill Akpabio swiftly referred the bill to an ad-hoc committee on Rivers’ emergency rule, tasking it with urgent review. But the committee’s mandate remains vague, fueling concerns of a perfunctory endorsement. Historically, such panels have faced accusations of acting as presidential proxies, notably during the 2023 controversy over Ebonyi State’s defection-linked budget crisis .
Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda (PDP-Rivers) warned against haste: “This isn’t just about Rivers. If we normalize federal dominance today, Lagos or Kano could be next. The Senate must interrogate every line—or risk dismantling federalism” .
Tinubu’s move coincides with escalating tensions over centralization. Last week, the Northern Governors’ Forum condemned “creeping federal overreach” in mineral resource control, while the South-East Caucus threatened legal action over railway management disputes. Political analyst Dr. Sam Amadi linked the Rivers case to a broader pattern: “Since the 2023 elections, we’ve seen a steady erosion of state powers—from security to finances. This budget request is the logical endpoint of that trajectory” .
Legal challenges loom. The Abuja-based Centre for Justice has vowed to petition the Supreme Court, citing Section 121 of Nigeria’s Constitution, which reserves budgetary authority for state assemblies. “Even under emergency rule, the president cannot usurp core legislative functions,” argued the group’s director, Abdul Mahmud .
