Drama in Senate! Akpabio Forces Rivers 2025 Budget Through Second Reading by Voice Vote

On Wednesday, May 28, the Nigerian Senate approved the 2025 budget for Rivers State at its second reading. The budget, totaling ₦1.48 trillion (₦1,480,662,592,442), was presented by Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele.

Senator Opeyemi explained that the Senate has taken up the responsibility of legislating for Rivers State due to the ongoing state of emergency in the region.

During deliberations, Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan stressed the importance of promptly passing the budget to ensure that residents of Rivers State feel the impact of government presence. He remarked, “Mr. President, I’m not sure what title this document carries, but it clearly relates to a state of emergency budget. I fully support its passage for a second reading so the people of Rivers can experience the government’s intervention.”

With no objections raised, Senate President Godswill Akpabio conducted a voice vote to approve the second reading and subsequently referred the budget to the Ad-hoc Committee overseeing the Rivers State emergency.