The Rivers State Government has moved to quash fresh reports of a brewing confrontation between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the state House of Assembly over the 2026 Appropriation Bill, insisting that the governor is not at loggerheads with the lawmakers.
The denial came amid renewed speculation of friction between the executive and legislative arms of government, reviving memories of the bitter political crisis that previously engulfed Rivers State.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Fubara’s Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi, dismissed reports suggesting that the governor and the lawmakers were heading for another showdown.
Nzeshi insisted that Fubara was working with members of the Assembly to advance the interests of Rivers residents.
“We wish to make it abundantly clear that His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, is not at loggerheads with members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, but rather working closely with them to serve the good people of Rivers State,” he said.»
The governor’s camp maintained that there was no crisis surrounding the 2026 budget, stressing that the appropriation proposal had already been transmitted to the House and was undergoing the normal legislative process.
“The 2026 Budget proposal has been presented to the House of Assembly; it is going through the normal legislative process and we strongly believe that once the process is completed, it will be passed by the lawmakers,” Nzeshi said.»
The statement comes against the backdrop of Rivers State’s turbulent political history, particularly the prolonged power struggle between Fubara and political forces linked to former Governor Nyesom Wike, which at various points spilled into the House of Assembly and triggered fierce disputes over governance.
Although the latest disagreement has not been established as a full-blown political crisis, the governor’s decision to publicly distance his administration from reports of friction signals an attempt to prevent fresh tensions from escalating.
Nzeshi said the state government had no interest in reopening old wounds or being drawn into another cycle of political confrontation.
“The Rivers State Government has gone through difficult times in the past and is not prepared to be dragged into another round of controversies,” he said.
He appealed to those pushing what he described as negative narratives to desist, arguing that continued peace and cooperation between the executive and legislature were critical to the state’s development.
The clarification is coming at a sensitive time for the Fubara administration, with the passage of the 2026 budget expected to be a major test of cooperation between the governor and lawmakers.
For now, the governor’s camp insists there is no fresh battle at the Rivers Assembly, urging residents to disregard reports suggesting another political storm is brewing in the state.
