The suspended Commissioner for Youth Development in Rivers State, Chisom Gbali, has addressed the ongoing political challenges surrounding Rivers State’s governance, particularly the controversial role of the sole administrator, Ibokette Ibas, over the plan to present and implement the state’s budget.
Gbali criticized the appointment of a sole administrator to handle the budget and other key functions of the state, arguing that it is unconstitutional for a single individual to assume such responsibilities and cancel projects that were already awarded by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
In a sharp criticism, Gbali, in an interview on Arise News also described the attempts to extend the tenure of the sole administrator as part of a calculated effort to disrupt the state’s administration, further deepening the political crisis in the region.
Gbali’s remarks come in the wake of an announcement by Ibas, who disclosed that his administration is in the process of preparing a new state budget. This follows the recent Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the state’s 2025 budget.
Ibas made the revelation during a meeting with a delegation from the Rivers Caucus of the National Assembly at the Government House in Port Harcourt last Thursday.
The new budget, according to Ibas, will focus on critical sectors such as education, healthcare, social services, and infrastructural development—similar to the priorities outlined in the previously nullified 2025 budget.
Speaking about the new budget’s objectives, Ibas emphasized his administration’s commitment to improving the lives of Rivers State residents through strategic investments aimed at these key sectors.
He highlighted that the administration’s goal is to drive development that will benefit the people and support the state’s growth moving forward.