The Rivers State House of Assembly has formally returned a sum of ₦100,000 credited to the personal bank accounts of its members, denouncing the transfers as “unsolicited and unapproved” manoeuvres by the executive arm.
In a stern communique released on Tuesday, signed by the Honourable Enemi George, the House detailed how members were alerted to the credits on 30th December 2025. The Assembly alleges that these funds were disbursed on the direct instructions of the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, bypassing the requisite legislative oversight and budgetary authorization.
Upon discovering the suspicious deposits, the lawmakers reportedly moved with haste to return the monies to the Rivers State Government’s consolidated accounts. The Assembly emphasised that, as a body governed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it cannot condone expenditures that subvert established fiscal protocols.
“As an institution established by law,” the statement remarked, “the Rivers State House of Assembly maintains that all public expenditures must follow due process, including legislative approval.”
The incident has provided a fresh catalyst for the ongoing friction between the legislative and executive branches. The House further alleged that since his inauguration in 2023, Governor Fubara has consistently drawn from the state’s consolidated revenue accounts without the Assembly’s consent.
According to the statement, these actions persist despite repeated warnings from the House and a definitive ruling from the Supreme Court. The Assembly framed the Governor’s conduct as a “defiance of the Constitution and the principles of the separation of powers.”
The communique also served as a cautionary notice to the state’s bureaucracy. The House issued a direct warning to government staff who may be “conniving” with the executive to contravene state laws, asserting that the legislature is fully appraised of such “unlawful conduct.”
“We assure the good people of Rivers State that we would not relent as we perform our constitutional duties,” the statement concluded, signalling a continued commitment to fiscal discipline and the rule of law.
