The Rivers State House of Assembly says it has returned the ₦100,000 Christmas bonus paid to its members by Gov. Siminalayi Fubara, describing the cash gift as unsolicited and unapproved.
The lawmakers stated that the governor had continued to spend state funds without due regard for the law.
It would be recalled that the governor approved the payment of ₦100,000 to civil servants and some public office holders in the state to mark the festive season.
However, the lawmakers rejected the payment in a statement issued on Tuesday night and signed by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Hon. Enemi Alabo George.
George said: “Today, the 30th day of December 2025, honourable members of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly received bank credit alerts of the sum of one hundred thousand naira (₦100,000) each. The said unsolicited and unapproved amount was transferred, on the instructions of the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, to the personal accounts of members.
“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.”
He noted that, as an institution guided by law, the Assembly would not participate in any action that falls short of legal provisions.
George said that since 2023, the governor had continued to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Revenue Account of the state without legislative approval, despite repeated warnings by the House.
He said: “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 governor, since assuming office in 2023, has consistently drawn from the Consolidated Revenue Account of Rivers State without legislative approval, despite repeated warnings from the House, judgments of the Supreme Court, and in defiance of the Constitution and the principles of separation of powers.
“Therefore, with the leave of Mr Speaker and the entire House, I use 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 conduct.”
