Fubara Steps Forward With A Budget Of Renewed Hope Despite An Atmosphere of Uncertainty

By Uke N. Uke

Barely 24 hours after a newspaper report suggested Governor, Siminalayi Fubara may not be approaching the Rivers State House of Assembly any time soon, the Rivers State Government has officially approved an Appropriation Bill which contains estimates of its impending expenditure for the 2024 fiscal year.

The Rivers State Government is to spend approximately N800bn according to information that has been released. A breakdown shows that N412bn is expected to be spent on capital expenditure while recurrent expenditure will gulp N361bn.

Given the statistics which is out on the street, the State government is planning to set aside the sum of N21b as reserve.

Infrastructure, education, health and security are to get a chunk of the budgetary allocation which will be presented to State lawmakers any time from now.

For the first time in Rivers political history, the Governor will be approaching an assembly of lawmakers that is apparently dominated by the opposition.

For the first time too, Rivers people may have to get used to the idea of operating a kind of democratic arrangement which is likely to strive on the basis of a carefully woven plan that will encourage by partisan consensus.

For better, for worse, the PDP has lost its control of the State House of Assembly, following sharp disagreements which has turned former friends and associates into political foes.

Monday, 27 lawmakers representing various State constituencies did away with their membership of the Peoples Democratic Party as the worsening crisis within its ranks and file deepened.

In Abuja, the PDP National Secretariat raised eyebrows as news of the defection of its lawmakers in Rivers State made the rounds.

However, the defecting lawmakers are hinging their action on Section 11 of the Nigerian Constitution and overwhelming evidence indicating that there is a serious crisis in the PDP, especially over the choice of Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary.

While a majority of lawmakers took a stance at the premises of the Rivers State House of Assembly on the crisis and their future, the Fubara led Government which has the backing of the National Secretariat of the PDP sat round the table to approve its 2024 budget tagged “Budget of Renewed Hope, Consolidation and Continuity”.

The State Executive Council meeting which took place at the Executive Chamber of the Government House in Port Harcourt was chaired by the Governor.

It was the fifth of such meetings under the Fubara administration and an opportunity outside the discussions which centred on the budget to deliberate on the State’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework.

Usually, the framework is a precursor in articulating the fundamental principles of the government budget and explaining the socio-economic direction of the State.

The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson disclosed that four hundred and twelve billion has been projected for capital expenditure.

Three hundred and sixty-one billion naira, the Commissioner hinted, would be spent on recurrent expenditure while the sum of twenty-one billion will be kept in the kitty as reserve.

Lending a voice, Tammy Danagogo, Secretary to the Rivers State Government said the budget estimate approved by the council is intended to renewed hope, guarantee a harvest of projects and propel human capital development.

It is not certain if the State Executive Council discussed the exit of the 27 lawmakers. There had been speculations prior to the emergency meeting summoned by Governor Fubara that the matter would feature prominently.

Neither Danagogo nor Johnson who disclosed the outcome of the meeting made any reference to the defection matter which struck many Rivers people and watchers of the Rivers political scene like a thunderbolt.

The Budget, Matters Arising:

In order for it to come into operation, the budget packaged by the State Government will have to be passed by the State House of Assembly which under the law has the power of appropriation.

Nigerian law does not grant the executive any exclusive right to spend public funds after a budget expires except for a few months.

Given the political turmoil that is evolving, no one is sure when Fubara who now has the authority of the executive to present a budget will make his move to the Assembly.

But administration officials, we have learnt, are considering options that are open to the system. Despite frosty relations which exist between the Executive and and the State Legislature, both arms are aware there may be need to avert a government shutdown.

“In other climes, deals are cut and positions reconciled when it comes to the interest of the people”, an experienced journalist told the Telegraph in Port Harcourt.

“There must be a point where the Fubara administration and the House will come to terms. It may involve a little tinkering, some cuts here and there, some concessions to make.”

In the coming days, many will expect the display of maturity by contending political forces; a high level of understanding that will help build a broad  consensus needed to pass the 2024 annual budget; and a

kind of uncommon wisdom that would be required to navigate the political minefields of the  Rivers State. .

Fubara had vowed he will never abandon the mandate given to him by the Rivers people when he addressed a gathering of traditional rulers and chiefs.

It would seem that it is not Fubara alone who is fighting for his political survival. Lawmakers in Rivers State are equally fighting not just for the independence of the legislature, but also for their political lives.

Where all these will lead remain uncertain. Somehow, what is obvious at this time is the thinking in many circles that all is not well.