By Daniel Abia

The surprise presentation of the 2025 annual budget of Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the Senate has triggered sharp reactions from stakeholders, particularly from the Niger Delta region.

Recall that on March 18, 2025, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State for an initial period of six months, effectively suspending the democratic governance structure in the state.

Reacting to the development, Joseph Ambakederimo, Convener of the South-South Reawakening Group (SSRG), condemned the President’s action, describing it as a desecration of democratic values.

“This presentation of a ₦1.4 trillion budget for Rivers State by the President to the Senate is highly unconstitutional and an aberration by all democratic standards,” Ambakederimo said.

He called on the Senate to reject the budget and resist what he termed an encroachment on the federal structure and rule of law.

“We cannot continue to allow this kind of rascality to persist in our body polity,” he added.

The group emphasized that actions such as this undermine Nigeria’s democratic principles and set a dangerous precedent for executive overreach.