Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s refusal to provide cars and meet other demands allegedly agreed with Rivers lawmakers has emerged as a major reason the state’s N1.85tn 2026 budget is still stuck at the Rivers State House of Assembly, more than a month after it was presented.
The much-awaited Rivers State 2026 Appropriation Bill appears to have hit a fresh political roadblock, with the Martin Amaewhule-led House yet to pass the N1.854tn proposal submitted by Governor Fubara.
Investigations revealed that the delay may not be entirely about the contents of the budget, but over alleged agreements reached between the governor and lawmakers as part of efforts to stabilise the state after its prolonged political crisis.
Fubara presented the budget, christened the “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development,” to the Assembly on July 10, 2026.
Although the Speaker acknowledged that the budget was presented late, he assured the governor that lawmakers would give it the necessary attention in the interest of Rivers State.
More than a month later, however, the bill is yet to become law.
There has also been little public information about budget defence sessions, committee scrutiny and other legislative processes normally expected to precede the passage of an annual appropriation bill.
The situation has fuelled concerns over the implementation of major projects across the state, with some projects reportedly stalled or operating below capacity because of the absence of appropriated funds.
Among the projects affected is the multi-billion-naira Ring Road, which has reportedly either slowed down or suffered limitations in execution.
‘HE DIDN’T BUY THE CARS’
The strongest hint about what may be holding up the budget came from Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Rivers governor, Nyesom Wike.
Speaking during a special media chat in Port Harcourt last Tuesday, Wike alleged that Fubara had failed to honour about 90 per cent of the agreements reached with the lawmakers and members of what he described as “the family.”
Wike specifically alleged that the governor failed to release funds to the State Assembly Service Commission and, significantly, failed to provide cars for the lawmakers.
He said the Assembly could not be expected to simply receive the budget and pass it immediately when outstanding agreements had allegedly not been fulfilled.
According to him, the budget would eventually be passed, but only after the issues surrounding the agreements had been addressed.
Wike said Fubara had failed to meet “90 per cent” of what had been agreed, citing the failure to fund the Assembly Commission and the failure to provide cars among the outstanding issues.
His remarks have now thrown the spotlight on the alleged “cars-for-lawmakers” issue and raised fresh questions about the relationship between the governor and the Assembly.
N41.4BN ASSEMBLY ALLOCATION ALSO RAISES EYEBROWS
The budget itself has also generated controversy over the proposed N41.4bn allocation to the State House of Assembly.
While some stakeholders have questioned the size of the allocation, others have argued that the legislature requires adequate funding to perform its constitutional responsibilities.
But with the budget still awaiting passage, attention has shifted from the figures contained in the proposal to the political issues surrounding its consideration.
A source close to the Assembly, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said fresh agreements between Fubara and the lawmakers were at the centre of the delay.
The source indicated that the lawmakers had given the governor room to present the budget late as part of efforts to resolve outstanding issues, but expected commitments allegedly made in the process to be honoured.
The source did not disclose the full details of the agreements.
BUDGET TRAPPED IN POLITICAL TUG-OF-WAR
The delay is particularly significant because the 2026 budget itself was already presented late as a result of the political crisis that engulfed Rivers State.
Stakeholders had therefore expected the lawmakers to fast-track its consideration to avoid further disruption to government programmes and projects.
Instead, the appropriation bill has remained in legislative limbo, leaving residents and contractors waiting for clarity on when major projects will receive full funding.
Wike, however, insisted that the budget would eventually be passed and forwarded to the governor for assent.
For now, the political drama appears to have left the N1.854tn Rivers budget caught between the governor’s office and the Assembly—with cars, funding and alleged unfulfilled agreements at the heart of the latest stand-off.
Don’t Miss Out! Join our WhatsApp Channel for instant news updates. Click here to join
ALSO READ:
