According to the statement, the House took immediate steps to return the funds upon discovering the transfers.
The political crisis rocking Rivers State has deepened after members of the State House of Assembly rejected a ₦100,000 Christmas gift allegedly sent to them on the directive of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The lawmakers, who are loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, described the payment as unsolicited and unapproved, insisting that it violated constitutional provisions governing public expenditure.
In a statement issued on behalf of the Assembly by Enemi Alabo George, Chairman of the House Committee on Information and Petitions, the legislators disclosed that each member received a credit alert of ₦100,000, which they said was traced to the Rivers State Government account.
According to the statement, the House took immediate steps to return the funds upon discovering the transfers.
The statement read, “Upon discovery of these unsolicited and unapproved transfers, Honourable Members of the House took immediate steps to formally return the said funds to the account of the Rivers State Government."
The lawmakers stressed that the Assembly, as a constitutionally recognised institution, would not condone any spending that bypasses legislative approval.
“As an institution established by law and guided strictly by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Rivers state house of assembly maintains that all public expenditures must follow due process, including legislative approval."
The Assembly further accused Governor Fubara of persistently drawing funds from the state’s Consolidated Revenue Account without authorisation since assuming office in 2023.
“The Governor, since assumption of office in 2023 has consistently drawn from the consolidated revenue accounts of Rivers State without legislative approval despite repeated warnings from the House, judgement of the supreme court and in defiance of the Constitution and principles of separation of powers,” the lawmakers alleged.
They also issued a stern warning to civil servants and government officials allegedly aiding what they described as unlawful financial practices.
“Therefore, with the leave of Mr Speaker and the entire House, I seize this medium to once again draw the attention of all staff of the Rivers State Government who connive with the Governor and others to contravene the Constitution and laws of Rivers State to the fact that we have become aware of their unlawful conducts,” the statement said.
The rejection of the Christmas gift comes amid a lingering power struggle between Governor Fubara and the Rivers Assembly, which intensified after the lifting of emergency rule in the state on September 18.
In recent weeks, the lawmakers have repeatedly accused the governor of unapproved spending, further exposing the deepening rift between the executive and legislative arms of government in Rivers State.