Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has dismissed reports of a fresh disagreement between his administration and members of the State House of Assembly over the delay in passing the 2026 Appropriation Bill.

The state government described the reports as misleading, saying the N1.854 trillion budget proposal presented by the governor was still undergoing the legislative process.

The governor’s position was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi, who said Fubara remained committed to working with the lawmakers in the interest of Rivers State.

Nzeshi said the governor was not at loggerheads with the Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly, contrary to reports suggesting that tensions had resurfaced over the budget.

“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.

According to him, the 2026 budget proposal, presented to the lawmakers on July 10, was currently being subjected to the required legislative scrutiny.

“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.

In July, Fubara had presented the N1.854 trillion appropriation bill, tagged the “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development,” to the Assembly for consideration and approval.

The development had generated concerns in some quarters following the length of time the proposal had remained before the lawmakers, with speculation that the delay could be linked to renewed political differences between the executive and legislative arms of government.

However, the governor’s spokesman rejected such suggestions, saying Rivers State had endured sufficient political tensions and should not be drawn into another cycle of controversy.

Nzeshi urged those promoting what he described as “negative narratives” to desist, stressing that peace and political stability were necessary for the state’s continued development.

“We therefore advise all those bent on promoting negative narratives to desist from such actions forthwith, as we need peace and harmony to ensure steady development of Rivers State,” he said.