Is it true that The controversy surrounding Gibbons vs Ogden was in whether the states or federal government had the right to regulate navigation?

Yes, that's correct. The controversy in Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) centered on whether the federal government or the states had the authority to regulate interstate navigation and commerce. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that the federal government had the power to regulate interstate commerce under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution, thereby asserting federal supremacy over state laws in this area. This landmark decision helped define the scope of federal regulatory power in the United States.